Oofuri Chapter 22

SUMMARY:

As they finish warming up, Abe makes sure Mihashi is feeling good and tells him not to pace himself too quickly since the other team has three pitchers. Mihashi is feeling good and tells Abe that he thinks Abe is the reason he is able to feel this way, because of the help Abe has given him regulating his pitch count, stretching, and getting him more onigiri. Mihashi says he wants to win. Abe is touched and embarrassed, and resolves that he will get another win for Mihashi.

Kazu(sa? ..that's his full name, right? *forgetful and feels bad because she liked him and Junta when they were still around* Hehe...) watches from the stands and notes the lack of change in Bijou's batting order and that Kurata is the regular catcher, though he'd thought when he played them in a practice match that Miyata was a good choice. He remembers beating Bijou in the practice match, and then thinks of the numerous other practices they won, and thinks to himself that he is the one who should really be down there playing instead of Abe/Nishiura.

As the game starts, the first batter lets the first ball go by without flinching. This is the first pattern that Bijou has noticed in Abe's pitching. He gives a ball to any batter he's never faced before. Next, Abe choses a slider in the area he knows the batter likes it. The batter once again does not flinch, because this is the second pattern they have noticed in his pitch calling. Abe picks a pitch that looks like it is headed for the batter's favored section of the strike zone, but eventually swerves into something unhittable. Abe then picks a shoot on the outside corner (rather than the inside where the batter likes it), and the batter hits it, making it to first base.

The Bijou team members relay to the coach that Abe's pitch calling went exactly as predicted. The team is a little surprised, and even Takii admits to himself he wasn't sure it would work.

The second batter pops the ball up and it is caught. He tells Takii he thinks it was a fastball, which surprises them since they were not expecting it yet. Takii tells the batter to try to remember how it felt and think about how to keep it down. He thinks about how Nishiura's win against Tousei could not have been a fluke because Nishiura clearly collects data on other teams and knows how to use it, whereas Tousei was completely unprepared. He thinks Nishiura's luck is over now, though, as Bijou has collected data on them in turn.

The third batter once again lets the first pitch go by. Abe and the rest of the team are made uneasy by the other team's apparent abnormally high tendency to do this. Abe notes that the pitch both the first and third batters let by was a slider, and the first hit a shoot. Abe wonders if the batters are waiting to see a shoot, as that would make their hitting patterns make sense. He wonders if there is some habit in either he or Mihashi that is allowing Bijou to know what kind of pitch is coming. Abe decides to ask for a shoot on the outside that will turn into a ball to test if that is really what they are aiming for.

The batter, seeing that the pitch is aimed for the outside, knows it must in that case be a shoot and that it will head farther out. Despite it being a ball, knowing this much he is able to swing and make a hit. (At lest I think that's how it worked? Heheh.) The ball is low and almost becomes a foul, but stays in, and Bijou's runner makes it home, so that Bijou has one point, one out, and a runner on second. Abe is disturbed by the way the batter reached for the ball so surely as if he knew exactly where it would go.

The announcer talks to the representatives from Nishiura and Bijou. Next up to bat is Wada, Bijou's captain. The announcer asks the men what sort of kids the batter Wada and the battery Abe and Mihashi are like, and basically spoon feeds the nervous men the very generic answers that Wada is a “dependable” captain and that Abe and Mihashi are “diligent and spirited” students.

Back in the game, Abe notes that Wada has the highest RBI on the team and that first is open. He figures he can risk walking Wada for a chance to see if they are really aiming for the shoot. Abe sends Wada a slider that turns into a ball, and he doesn't flinch. Wada likes the outside (at least according to the data for that tournament, though Wada notes to himself he actually does not), and Abe choses another slider on the inside, and Wada hits it. He makes a home run, and scores two more points. Abe now knows he was not waiting for a shoot.

Abe goes to talk to Mihashi, and asks to feel his hand. The two touch, but jerk away from one another embarrassedly. Abe makes sure Mihashi knows that the runs were his fault, and apologizes. He tells Mihashi they will start throwing the fastball now, even though it is just the first inning. After he is left alone, Mihashi notes that Abe's hand was just as cold as his own. Mihashi throws two fastballs and gets two outs, surprising Bijou.

When they get back to the dugout, Abe reports to Momokan, explaining the mix of pitches he used, and his his former now disproven theory that they were aiming for a shoot. He says the frequency with which they let the ball go by and their hitting patterns are strange, almost as if they know what kind of pitch is coming. Momkan agrees Bijou seems abnormally sure-footed.

Izumi asks Tajima if they can do something for him, and Tajima calls over Mihashi. The three play rock, paper, scissors, and Mihashi loses. The two pounce violently on Mihashi, surprising everyone. At their surprise, Tajima explains that they have decided to tickle one another as a means of relaxation, a method Izumi thought up because of his nerves being leadoff batter. Shige (Is that his name? I'm just bad with these things. ^^) confirms that laughing, even by force, can make one relax. Hanai is still a little flustered that making someone else laugh can make you relax yourself, though, so he tries it on Mihashi, and confirms that it feels almost like you're getting ticked yourself. Izumi finally heads out to bat.

TRANSLATION:

It's a way to make yourself relax really fast!

[translation by narwhaltortellini]
[Please note that my grasp on the Japanese language is tenuous and my understanding of baseball even more so. These translations and summaries were made with hopes of being helpful to fans who would like to read on in the story and do not mind suffering the occasional ambiguity or error. Parts I am consciously unsure of have been marked with two question marks (??), sometimes with my best guess at what they might mean. Note that the absence of question marks does not make the translation correct. ^_^]

[Anyone is free to use or repost these as they like, and scanlators are free to use them as aids. Just remember to use them, not trust them. It would, of course, be very kind of anyone taking them to let me know where they're going.]

151
Abe: Last one!
Abe: Nice ball!
[The knock will conclude in two minutes.]
Abe: Still tired at all from the day before yesterday?
Miha: N- // Nope.
Abe: Good. You're throwing well. // Seems like you've got a good rhythm today.

152
Abe: Listen. // The other guys have three pitchers.
Abe: Don't pace things too fast and exhaust yourself.
Abe: Because you're all we've got!
Miha: Ok! // I won't // Over do it!

153
Miha: .... // ....
Miha: I'm // feeling good // today!
Abe: Yeah. // Catching for you felt great.
Miha: It's
Miha: Because // Of Abe-kun!
Miha: My pitch count // and stretching // and the onigiri.
Miha: Alone // I // couldn't // have...
Miha: It's all // Because of Abe-kun!
Miha: That I'm // feeling good.
Abe: ....
Abe: All...

154
Miha: So // I
Miha: I // want // I want to win!
Abe: You just don't get it!
Miha: !?
Miha: I // I get
Miha: It.
Abe: I just don't understand how this guy thinks.
Abe: But I'll get him the win he wants!

155
Abe: I'll make sure he get his win today!
[Chapter 22, The 5th Match]

156
[Batting 9th, Pitcher Takenouchi-kun. // Uniform number 1.]
Kazu: Bijou's batting lineup still matches their uniform numbers. // Has it stayed like that since the first match?
Kazu: [Ah, that's right. Kurata is the regular catcher now.]
Kazu: [And Miyata is 5th? // Looks like he (??they?) might be focusing on batting.]
Kazu: When we played them in a practice game Miyata seemed like a good choice to me...
Kazu: Though we did beat them then.

157
Kazu: In our practice games...
Kazu: We beat Senda, too. // And Ooi. // And Ranzan...
Kazu: ...I...
Kazu: Should be the one
Kazu: Standing there now!
Abe: First inning!
Abe: Let's go!

158
Takii: So.
Takii: Can Nishiura really play at the level Roka seems to say?
Takii: Our first batter will test them out!

159
[Top of the first inning. Batting first for Bijoudai Sayama High School, // Short stop Kawashima-kun, uniform number 6.]
Kawa: (Ready!)
Kawa: Right!
Ump: Play ball!

160
Ump: Ball!
Abe: ....
Abe: He let it by without a flinch.
Kawa: First pitch was a ball.
Kawa: Just as predicted.
Kawa: That's the first pattern in this catcher's calling.
Kawa: Give a ball to any batter he's never faced before. // Though I guess that's a pretty standard tactic, anyway. (??)

161
Kawa: It sure looked close, though. (??)
Kawa: I've gotten the most walks of everyone on this team since fall. // If this guy knew that, then he's probably thinking something like...
Kawa: “He let it by without a flinch.”
Both: “Now it's time to give him something he'll want to see.”
Abe: So...
Abe: [Kawashima likes the inside corner. // Maybe we can hook him there with a slider that turns into a ball.]

162
Kawa: For the second pitch...
Ump: Ball!
Kawa: ....
Kawa: That's scary... // It totally looked hittable!
Kawa: Though for a ball with such a slow speed it's got a really good course on it.
Margin: (??)

163
Kawa: Still.
Kawa: It really was a ball.
Takii: Abe's next pattern...
Takii: Is to aim for the batter's favored section of the strike zone, but use a ball that swerves into something they can't hit. (??)
Takii: I guess that one was aimed where Kou likes it on the inside corner?
Takii: Anyway, that makes two balls. // With the way Kou just keeps watching, he can't be throwing any more out of the zone.
Takii: If they're throwing into the strike zone, they'll be sure to avoid Kou's inside corner.
Kawa: They probably won't be showing that fastball // To someone with good eyes like me in the first inning.
Kawa: Alright! // The coach thinks so too!

164
Abe: It's 0-2, so I need to pick something other than where Kawashima likes it. (??)
Abe: Without showing him the “fastball.”
Kawa: A breaking ball is either going to start on the inside and go further in, or start on the outside and go further out. (??)
Kawa: The outside corner. It'll be tough, but if I know it's coming, at this speed, I can do it!
Mihashi: A shoot....
Mihashi: On the outside!

165
Kawa: On the top!
-It's in front of center!

166
Kawa: All three were (??)...though the next likes make it pretty self-explanatory ^_^;)
-Aah.
-All three were just like expected.
-Woah!
-Lead. // Lead.
-All three were just as predicted!

167
-Seriously?
-You think it was a coincidence!?
-Stupid, three pitches is not a coincidence!
-Honestly, up till now I almost didn't believe it would work.
All: (We had faith in coach!)
Takii: Well now you do!
Takii: ....
Takii: Though really I only half believed in it myself!

168
Ump: Out!
-What happened?
-Um.
-I // Thought it looked good.
-But it went up. // I think it might have been the fastball.

169
Takii: Alright. // Try to remember how it felt, and think about how you can manage to get it rolling! (??)
-Yes, sir!
-(Tetsuro-san popped up.)
-(And he's usually so good at bunts.)
-If even Tetsuro couldn't make it roll...
Takii: Maybe it really was the strange fastball?
Takii: [The predictions we're working off today were made from the information we got from Tousei since fall, // Along with everything we've been able to gather about Abe's pitch calling.]
[3rd batter, second baseman Yano-kun. // Uniform number 4.]
Takii: If the predictions are right, that probably means Nishiura has collected data on us just as they did with Tousei. // And that they're putting it to use in this game.

170
Takii: Gathering data...
Takii: Analyzing it...
Takii: [With a catcher that knows how to use it...]
Takii: [And a pitcher who will follow his lead implicitly...]
Takii: [Their win against the completely unprepared Tousei was definitely no fluke.]
Takii: But now, we're just as prepared as them.
Takii: Their beginners luck is going to end right here!
Abe: The second batter popped it up nice and easy.
Abe: Yano likes the inside corner, and he's capable of hitting home runs. // With a runner on first, it'd be nice to get an infield grounder out of him.

171
Yano: Alright...
Yano: He knows where I like it... // So I should make sure not to swing at anything that looks like it's headed for the inside corner.
Ump: Ball!
Yano: I see. So if I'd swung it probably would have ended up as a foul or a grounder.
Abe: What's the matter? He just let it go by.

172
Saka?: Mihashi's “balls” are always intentional, so it's not a big deal...
Suya: But usually they try something on the first pitch.
Suya: When they keep letting them by like that our rhythm feels like its taking a bad turn.
Abe: ?? (something about the first batter, one pitch, and being caught)
Abe: He has a good eye, but still...
Momo: Don't let it worry you so much!
Momo: It's hard to be sure from the bench, // ?? (“bad things like that should not be let go.” ...which doesn't seem to go along with what she seemed to be saying before so I'm confused. ^_^;)

173
Yano: My eyes have gotten used to his pitch speed from watching it all day yesterday. I'd say it's almost exactly 100 KPH.
Yano: Wonder if he'll try the shoot on me, too. (??)
Yano: The shoot on the video looked about like...
Yano: Alright.
Yano: I can do it!
Abe: The pitch both the first and third batters let by was a slider.
Abe: The pitch the leadoff hit was a shoot.
Abe: So it's possible they're waiting for the shoot.
Abe: Which, with all the sliders I've been sending at them, would explain their letting so mamy balls by.
Abe: [...Could..]
Abe: [There be some tell in Mihashi's pitching?]

174
Abe: Some habit even I don't know about?
Abe: Or maybe something in my stance?
Abe: [One ball to test.]
Mihashi: A shoot. // On the outside...
Mihashi: Moving out of the zone!
Yano: On the outside!

175
Yano: !! // It's just barely in!
Yano: If it's a shoot, then from here it'll...
Abe: He got it with the tip! (??)
-Go!

176
-It's low!
Big words: (Keep going!)
-They're not going to make it, so keep moving!
Mizu: Is it out!? (??)
Taji: Mizutani, don't jump! (??)
Taji: It's fair!

177
Ump: Fair ball! // Fair ball!
Abe: Get it to third!
Abe: Third, Mizutani!
-One point!

178
Yano: Thought it was a shoot so I was able to follow it.
Yano: Feels great to make a hit at an important time!

179
Abe: He reached out for it so cleanly.
Abe: It was like he knew it was going to head outside the zone.
Mihahi: Eh... // One point already...?
Tajima: Mihashi!
Tajima: One out!
Mihashi: !
Mihashi: One...
Mihashi: One out!

180
Nishi: Cut them off!
Nishi: You're doing great! (??)
Momo: ....
-That's one early run and a runner still on second for Bijoudai Sayama High School. // Next up is Wada, the cleanup hitter and captain.
-Looks like this match is getting off to a quick start (??), // Eh, Yoneda-san?
[Bijou's OB, Yoneda-san] (?? no, I don't know what that is.)
Yone: Y- // Yes!?
-What sort of a player would you say Wada-san is?
VP: (Good luck!)
Yone: Ah.
Yone: I'm sure he's great! He's the captain after all!
-Dependable maybe?
Yone: Ah, yes, very dependable!

181
-I guess we'll see what the dependable captain has in store for Nishiura's freshmen battery.
-Ogawa-san. // What sort of students are those two in their everyday lives?
VP: Ah!
-Are they diligent?
-Or very spirited?
VP: Diligent, yes!
VP: Ah! // And spirited, too!
-So we have here a face off between the dependable captain and the diligent, spirited battery!
-Let's turn our attention to the field!
Abe: Wada has the most runs batted in on the whole team. // And first is open.
Abe: Assuming it's not a bad idea to walk him anyway, I can test whether or not they're really aiming for the shoot.

182
Abe: [They may have some way of seeing what kind of pitch is coming.]
Abe: [The first and third batters both let sliders by without batting an eye!]
Wada: I favor balls on the outside.
Wada: Well, not really.
Wada: But those are the ones I've been hitting best in this tournament.
Wada: And if that's where his data is from...
Wada: He'll probably be throwing me a variety of balls on the outside.
Abe: On the inside. // A slider that starts in the strike zone and swerves away.
Abe: If he lets this one by, too... // Then somehow, either Mihashi or I am letting on the pitch type.

183
Wada: If it's on the inside, it'll be a slider. // If it looks on the edge it'll turn into a ball, so I should just let it by.
Wada: It's unlikely there'll be any fastballs yet.
Mihashi: On the inside.
Ump: Ball!
Abe: ....
Abe: He didn't move.
Abe: Watching, just like the others.
Abe: It's like they know it'll turn into a ball.

184
Abe: [Are we really giving away the pitch types?]
Abe: [And if we are, is it me or Mihashi?]
Abe: Maybe I should throw in a curve ball.
Abe: No. I should wait. // They've swung at shoots that were balls, too.
Wada: If it's on the outside, watch it. // If it's inside, then it's a slider.
Miha: A slider.
Miha: On the inside. // And // low.
Abe: If he lets this one by too,
Abe: Then I'm going to have to rethink my use of the slider! (??)

185
Mihashi: On the edge.
Wada: It's inside!

187
Momo: Ah!

188
-It...!

189
-[It's in! Wada has made a two point home run!]
-[That's one dependable captain!]

190
Abe: He wasn't waiting for a shoot.
Abe: Anyway, I should talk to Mihashi.
Abe: Mihashi!
Abe: Are you ok?
Abe: Give me your hand.

191
Miha: !
Miha: ....
Abe: ....
Abe: ...You get it, right?
Abe: That one was my fault.
Abe: Even if runs only get charged to the pitcher. I'm sorry.
Miha: !!
Abe: There's a change in plans. We're going to start using the “fastball” in this inning.

192
Abe: Don't let on!
Miha: Ok!
Taji: Mihashi! // Just go at your own pace!
[Batting fifth, right fielder, Miyata-kun.]
Miha: ...Abe-kun's hand. // It.
Miha: It was just as cold as mine.

193
Ump: Play ball!
Miha: A...
Miha: “Fastball.”

194
Miya: It's inside!
Ump: Out!

195
Miya: .... // It wasn't a shoot.
Miya: That...
Miya: Couldn't have been the fastball, could it!?
[Batting 6th, left fielder, Kitamura-kun.]
Miya: Coach!
Miya: The pitch I got...
Miya: It was on the inside, but it wasn't a shoot!
Takii: Hm?

196
Takii: !!
Ump: Out!

197
Roka: Three points.
Wada: Alright, lets go defense!
Wada: Don't let those two runs of mine go to waste!
All: Ok!

198
Abe: Shinooka!
Abe: Let me see the score! (?? I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is probably something more in depth than a paper with the score on it. But that's what he says and I don't know what the English term would be, so...)
Chiyo: Here!
Abe: Thanks.
Abe: Coach!
Hanai: ?
Hanai: What's going on?
Abe: The leadoff let by a shoot on the outside and a slider on the inside, and hit a shoot on the outside.
Abe: The third batter let the slider by, too.
Abe: All this watching is weird.
Abe: It's like they know what kind of ball it's going to be.
Momo: I was thinking the same.
Momo: They're abnormally sure-footed.

199
Abe: And then the third batter hit a shoot even though it was a ball.
Abe: So then I thought they must be aiming for the shoot.
Abe: Only then the cleanup pulled off the slider.
Abe: And he hit it long, too.
Izumi: Hey. // Can we do it?
Taji: Yeah!
Taji: Mihashi! // Come on!
Tajima: Rock, paper, scissors!

200
Hanai: ?
Both: !?

201
(large out of bubble letters are the boys counting to ten)
Hanai: Ah.
Hana: Hey!
Hanai: What the heck are you doing!?
Izumi: All done!
Taji: That was all!
Taji: It's a way to make yourself relax really fast!
Hanai: What!?
Taji: Izumi thought of it since he gets nervous being first up to bat!
Izumi: Heheh.
Taji: Hey, Sensei.
Taji: Laughing makes you relax, right?
Shiga(was that his name?): Yes, that's true!

202
Hanai: Even if it's being forced out of you?
Shiga: When you laugh, you're almost always relaxed! (??)
Shiga: Even making an amused face can have some effect!
Shiga: (Though it's great you were able to think of that yourselves!)
Hanai: Huh, so that's it...
Hanai: So then...
Hanai: Does making others laugh really have the same effect?
Saka: You ok?
Miha: I // I // I'm ok.
Saka: Are you more relaxed?
Miha: I
Miha: I a-

203
Hanai: Ah? // It's like I'm getting tickled too~
Saka: I feel that way just watching. (??)
Taji: If you don't do rock, paper, scissors first, then you aren't as tense before hand. (??)
Izumi: Alright!
Izumi: I'm going out!
[Bottom of the first inning. Batting first for Nishiura High School,]
[Center fielder Izumi-kun, uniform number 8.]