1 - My Workplace / Spot Starter Source: Crunchyroll Translator: Editor: Timer: QC: (Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.) [00:03] nar     Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to inform you     that I make 18 million yen per year. [00:08] nar     I'm twenty-six years old and single. [00:10] nar     What's that? "You don't look     like a big shot to me," you say? [00:13] nar     Hey, I can't help how I look... [00:16] nar     I earn most of my money at night, [00:19] nar     though I sometimes work during     the day on weekends. [00:23] nar     Don't get the wrong idea!     My job isn't anything unsavory. [00:26] nar     Ladies and gentlemen,     I'm sure you've caught on by now. [00:31] nar     That's right! [00:32] nar     I'm a... [00:36] nar     ...professional baseball player! [00:39] nar     Here in Jingu Stadium, it's the third game     of the series against the Osaka Tempters. [00:44] nar     He grounds it to the shortstop     for a 6-4-3 double play! [00:48] nar     And just like that, the Tempters     are back to square one! [00:50] nar     What do you think,     guest commentator Manaka-san? [00:53] man     That's gotta be a load off of Shibuya's mind. [00:55] man     That was a tricky spot that could have     shifted the balance of the game completely. [00:59] man     The momentum's back on their side now. [01:05] bon     My name is Bonda Natsunosuke. [01:07] bon     I'm a left-handed middle relief     pitcher for the Jingu Spiders. [01:12] sako     Natsunosuke. Back to the bench. [01:14] bon     Huh? But I've only thrown ten pitches... [01:17] sako     I think it's too early.     Come back out next inning. [01:21] bon     Right. [01:22] bon     This is Sakota-san, the bullpen coach. [01:25] bon     He watches how the game unfolds     and decides who to warm up when. [01:29] bon     That's right. This is my workplace. [01:32] bon     Of course, I spend time on the mound, too, [01:34] bon     but I spend the vast majority     of my time right here, [01:38] bon     in the bullpen! [01:40] bon     When I'm not pitching, I talk with     the guys while we watch the game, [01:43] bon     or research my opponents     in the player directory. SIGN    Latest Edition Professional Baseball Player Directory [01:47] bon     I might look at players I expect     to face off with today, for example. [01:50] bon     I'm often brought in to     get a single left-handed hitter out, [01:54] bon     so I'll check all the left-handers     on the bench in advance. SIGN    Pinch Hitters Tanaka | Oyama Fujii | Takekawa Nakamura | Motosugi [01:57] bon     I'll pay closest attention to the guys     who just came up from the minors. [02:00] bon     Takekawa, huh? [02:02] bon     What part of their profiles     am I looking at in particular? [02:04] bon     Of course, I look at their career numbers     and how they performed the previous year... SIGN    Salary: 9 million [02:08] bon     But most important is their contract! [02:10] yama     Okay, ready to go. [02:12] bon     Right, right! [02:13] yama     Murai. [02:15] bon     22 million! [02:16] bon     Oh, just missed it! It's 22.5 million! SIGN    Salary: 22.5 million [02:20] bon     Missed the decimal point, huh? [02:23] ida     Okay, next one... Narita? [02:26] bon     Think he broke the top ten in     batting average last year, so... [02:29] bon     42 million! SIGN    Salary: 42 million [02:30] ida     You got it! Points for speed. [02:32] yama     Bonda-san, you really are incredible. [02:35] bon     This is our "contract quiz,"     and I've got the best record in the club. [02:39] bon     We're surprisingly interested     in others' contracts. [02:42] bon     Well, less "surprisingly"     and more..."extremely"? [02:46] bon     In a way, it's everything to us. [02:49] bon     The money is what makes you a pro. [02:51] bon     We end up seeing those with     bigger contracts as above us, [02:54] bon     and those with smaller ones as below us. [02:56] bon     If you get right down to it,     that's what it means to be a pro. SIGN    1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th [04:32] ugu     The Tempters will be making a substitution. SIGN    My Workplace [04:36] ugu     Takekawa will be hitting for Ushima. [04:40] bon     There he is! 9 million! [04:43] sako     Okay, Natsunosuke. You're in. [04:46] bon     Right! [04:47] ana     Manager Tanabe of the Spiders     is stepping out of the bullpen. [04:50] ana     He's probably going to bring out a southpaw. [04:52] ugu     The Spiders will be making     a pitching substitution. [04:56] ugu     Bonda will be pitching for Kishida. [04:59] ugu     Jersey number 39. [05:03] bon     Once again, Bonda Natsunosuke     heads for the mound. [05:06] bon     Plus one in the "games pitched" column. [05:08] bon     A middle reliever's salary will reflect     his number of games pitched. SIGN    Listen up, Bonda-kun. SIGN    The world of pro sports is a harsh one. SIGN    A single injury, and it can be all over. SIGN    Take my advice: don't touch that signing bonus until you retire. [05:31] bon     That's what my scout, Yasuda-san,     told me when I went pro. [05:37] bon     So I haven't touched one red cent     of my signing bonus. [05:41] bon     As the last pick in the draft, [05:43] ---     my signing bonus was a crummy 15 million! [05:45] bon     Your average family man     could earn that in three years! [05:53] bon     Baseball is a job where your years     are limited once you cross thirty. [05:58] bon     And only a fraction of us land a coaching     or commentating gig after we retire. [06:03] ---     I've known many whose income dropped to     seven digits the year after they retired. [06:09] bon     So while I'm twenty-six, the age when     baseball pros are supposedly at their peak, [06:13] bon     I can't be earning just 18 million per year! [06:17] bon     I need to earn more, or I won't have     enough for the rest of my life! [06:22] bon     "There's money buried under the pitch." [06:24] bon     That's a phrase you hear a lot. [06:26] bon     It's true, too. [06:28] bon     Those words play in my mind     as a constant refrain. [06:33] bon     There's money buried under     the pitch. Money Pitch! [06:36] ana     Hey, we've got more action     on the Tempters' bench! [06:39] ko     A pinch hitter for their pinch hitter? [06:41] tana     Now they're bringing out a righty. [06:43] tana     I thought they'd hold on     to him a little longer. [06:44] ugu     The Tempters are announcing     a change of hitter. [06:48] ugu     Doi, jersey number 50,     will be hitting for Takekawa. [06:49] bon     Now I must pitch to a right-hander,     a matchup that puts me at a disadvantage. [06:55] bon     But it's common enough. [06:58] bon     This hitter, Doi... [07:00] bon     Four years as a pro,     with a 7 million contract. [07:04] bon     When he joined the Tempters, [07:06] bon     he got a lot of press for being     a rookie with two kids. SIGN    From amateur to pro! The 26-year-old rookie! [07:12] doi     Hey, now! [07:15] bon     Doi-san, I know you just came     up from the minors today. SIGN    Yusuke [07:18] bon     Still, I need to beat you. [07:22] bon     What's more, [07:23] bon     if it turns out you couldn't     hit a left-hander like me, [07:26] bon     you'll probably [07:27] bon     be dropped back to the minors right away! [07:33] bon     A bunt?! [07:35] bon     That's right! He's fast, too! [07:38] bon     Catch! [07:41] bon     I got it! [07:42] tera     Natsunosuke! [07:43] bon     I got it! I got it! [07:45] bon     There's money buried under the pitch... [07:48] bon     Money... Pitch... Money... Pitch... [07:50] bon     Why am I so desperate to catch this foul ball? [07:55] bon     Doi can't want to go back     to the bench on a foul fly either. [07:57] bon     Money... Pitch... SIGN    Yusuke [08:00] bon     Money... Pitch... Money... Pitch... [08:05] bon     Money... Pitch... [08:07] bon     Money... Pitch... [08:10] bon     Money Pitch! [08:22] ump     Out! [08:24] matsu     Nice play! [08:33] bon     Crud. I ended up saying     "Money Pitch" out loud. [08:36] tera     Okay, Natsunosuke. Nice play. [08:39] bon     I won. [08:42] bon     I chose not to watch Doi walk away. [08:48] bon     The next day, Doi really     was sent back to the minors, [08:55] bon     based on one failed at-bat. [09:05] bon     And his demotion was also an implicit     statement on my lack of worth. [09:13] bon     "As a right-hander, he had an advantage, [09:16] bon     yet he couldn't get a hit off this     18 million-a-year pitcher. [09:19] bon     A hitter like that wouldn't stand a chance     against an ace earning hundreds of millions." [09:24] bon     That was the judgment call. [09:26] bon     Our world is unforgiving. [09:29] bon     Sometimes, I really want to run away from it. [09:32] bon     But I can't run away. [09:35] bon     Because baseball is all I have. [09:41] ---     I'll fight here again tonight. [09:43] ---     To earn myself a tomorrow, a future! [09:47] ---     Money Pitch! SIGN    Latest Edition Professional Baseball Player Directory [10:08] bon     I'm twenty-six years old,     with an annual salary of 18 million. [10:11] bon     usually brought into the game     to get a single left-hander out. [10:16] bon     Tonight, my work entails SIGN    Spot Starter [10:19] bon     a tied game at the top of the 9th. [10:21] title     A situation where one hit could win the game. [10:24] title     And I'm facing their cleanup,     a hitter with a 200 million contract. SIGN    6th 7th 8th 9th [10:28] bon     If he hits a home run, we'll end up     two runs behind in the 9th. [10:33] bon     This is where a guy in my job earns his keep. [10:36] bon     It's a ton of pressure, though... [10:42] bon     Third! [10:43] mori     Got it! [10:46] mori     I've got this! [10:47] bon     In a key moment, an 18 million earner     can take out a 200 million earner! [10:52] mori     This is my job. [10:54] mori     Games like these     are what improve my standing [10:57] mori     during the off-season assessments! [11:07] toku     Great work today. [11:11] toku     Hey, Natsunosuke. [11:12] bon     Toku-san! Great to see you! [11:15] toku     What you did today will earn     you major points in the assessments. [11:18] toku     It's an extra 300,000 per year, no problem. [11:20] bon     O-Oh, I don't know about that... [11:23] toku     I think it really had an impact. SIGN    Today's Game Result [11:25] toku     It primed you guys to walk off      in the bottom of the ninth. [11:28] bon     Shucks! [11:30] bon     Doing research today? [11:31] toku     Yeah, I'll be on color commentary     two days from now. [11:34] bon     Take it easy on me if they     do send me out, okay? [11:37] toku     Well, we'll see. [11:39] toku     So, Natsunosuke, want to grab a bite? [11:41] bon     That sounds great! Let's do it! [11:44] toku     Roppongi. [11:46] un     Right. [11:47] un     Oh, it's Bonda. [11:49] bon     I've heard Toku-san's color     commentary from the bullpen before. [11:52] toku     Wow, that swing had a nice "whoosh" to it! [11:55] bon     It might not be nice to say, [11:57] bon     but I never thought Toku-san     would become a commentator. [12:00] bon     He was a real entertainer type,     gregarious, and pretty popular... [12:06] bon     But he was a mediocre pitcher     who racked up less than fifty wins. [12:11] bon     But being friends with the director of     Otowa Radio gave him a lucky break, [12:15] bon     and soon after retiring, he landed     a commentary gig that'd just opened up. [12:22] toku     The truth is, this week and next week     are radio's "special weeks." [12:26] bon     "Special weeks?" [12:28] toku     Weeks when they research our listener ratings. [12:32] toku     In two days, when I'm on deck... [12:35] toku     I want to rack up the numbers. [12:39] toku     I mean, I want numbers, of course. [12:44] toku     But I also want to do commentary     people will like... [12:49] toku     The match in two days...     The Carnavits' starter will be Nishida. [12:52] toku     There's no doubt about that. [12:54] bon     Annual salary: 26 million! SIGN    26 million yen [12:56] toku     It's the Spiders I don't know about. [12:59] toku     You're going to have a spot starter that day. [13:01] toku     You don't have a rotation pitcher available. [13:07] toku     Do you know anything? [13:08] bon     Wait, did you just ask me that?! [13:11] toku     Yeah. Even if you knew,     you couldn't tell, I'm sure... [13:15] bon     I really don't know, though. [13:17] bon     I'm sorry. [13:19] toku     If you don't know,     does that mean they haven't decided?! SIGN    Today's Recommended Dishes [13:23] toku     Potential starters right now would be... [13:26] toku     Ida, Yamasato, Mogami... [13:29] toku     They really haven't decided? [13:31] bon     Give me a break! [13:33] toku     It would be easy to look up     basic data on those three. [13:37] toku     But I'd like to get more information     and weave it into my commentary. [13:41] toku     Should I investigate all three? [13:42] toku     No, that'd dilute my knowledge     of each one... I don't have time! [13:45] toku     Maybe I should just pick one     and go all-in on the research... [13:46] bon     Toku-san's really freaking out about this... [13:49] toku     That's it! That's what I'll do! [13:52] toku     I'll narrow it down to one! [13:54] bon     Did the station manager say something to you? [13:57] toku     N-No, not particularly... SIGN    Toku-chan, I'm sorry about this. SIGN    I managed to rope in Kuwata-san for the first ratings week! SIGN    What are you talking about? SIGN    A special color commentator! SIGN    You mean you're skipping me? SIGN    Yeah. SIGN    And our last ratings period, SIGN    your days pulled the worst numbers... SIGN    Your commentary is kind of seat-of-the-pants. SIGN    Maybe instead of just calling out sound effects, SIGN    could you do a little more data-based commentary? [14:36] toku     That's the situation I've found myself in! [14:39] toku     But I don't want to tell that to my junior! [14:43] bon     A second round, please. [14:45] bon     More of the same. SIGN    The Next Day [14:54] toku     Well, well? [14:56] toku     Have you gone fishing lately? [14:58] mo     Huh? I don't remember you     being into fishing, Tokunaga-san. [15:01] bon     Looks like Toku-san narrowed it down     to Mogami, the youngest of the lot, [15:01] toku     Of course I am! Did you forget? [15:05] bon     but they're not friendly enough     to have a private chat. [15:06] mo     Getting married in the off-season, huh? [15:09] mo     Where'd that come from? [15:10] toku     Don't play dumb. I know all about it. [15:12] toku     Which female anchor is it? [15:14] bon     Toku-san was a superstar     back in our prefecture. [15:14] mo     It's not like that! SIGN    Hey! Yamanashi Tsurumigawa High. SIGN    It'll be great working with you! [15:23] bon     He taught me a lot about technique, [15:25] bon     and about life, too. SIGN    Listen up, Natsunosuke. SIGN    The money you earn as a pro won't last long. [15:32] bon     He'd say that, but then he'd treat     me to these crazy nights out. [15:35] bon     Even though his own salary     wasn't all that high. SIGN    Don't fall into the trap of earning money to support your lavish spending. [15:42] bon     In his ten-year pro career, [15:44] bon     there was only one year his     salary exceeded 30 million yen. [15:48] bon     Not only was he loose with     his spending, taxes also took a lot. [15:51] ---     He was probably broke by the end. [15:54] bon     His last year in baseball,     he had the same salary I do now. [15:58] bon     In other words, 18 million yen. [16:00] ---     The next year, when he got his     job as a radio commentator, [16:03] ---     some posit that his salary was     less than 3 million per year. [16:09] bon     Even the local superstar I admired so much     was in dire straits after he retired. [16:14] bon     I really want to earn more     while I'm still in the game! [16:18] bon     You never know how long     your baseball career will last. [16:23] bon     My best years will be as a player. [16:25] bon     Will I be able to find     employment after I retire? [16:29] bon     Radio commentator is still     a pretty good post-retirement career. [16:33] bon     I know so many... [16:35] bon     So many people who entered the game     before me, at the same time, or after me, [16:39] bon     who retired to find     salaries less than 1 million. [16:43] bon     If I really made a name for myself,     I could be a pitching coach! [16:46] bon     That's for the true elites! [16:48] bon     It's a guaranteed yearly salary of 10 million! [16:53] seko     Natsunosuke? [16:56] bon     When an athlete living what should     be a breezy life in the majors [16:59] bon     spends it thinking about     his plans after retirement, [17:02] bon     it's anything but breezy! [17:04] bon     But that's what it means to be a pro! [17:08] bon     That's my motivation to work even harder! [17:12] ann     Go! Go! Spiders! [17:17] toku     N-No way... [17:19] toku     If they're starting tomorrow,     they would've left the bullpen by now. [17:24] toku     But all three of them are there! [17:25] toku     I missed the mark on all three! [17:28] toku     Have I no predictive powers     as a commentator whatsoever? [17:32] toku     Just who could tomorrow's starter be? SIGN    The Day of the Match [17:39] matsu     Toku-chan! Toku-chan! [17:40] matsu     Here's today's lineup! [17:42] matsu     Look at the Spiders' starting pitcher! [17:44] toku     Who is it? [17:46] toku     Yowza! [17:48] matsu     Toku-chan, what's wrong? [17:49] toku     Matsumoto-san! [17:52] toku     Tonight's commentary is gonna be great! [17:55] ugu     Now announcing the Spiders' starting battery. [18:00] ugu     Pitcher: Bonda. [18:02] Pitcher     Jersey number 39. [18:02] man     Bonda? [18:03] man     You're kidding... [18:05] ana     Catcher: Terasugi. Jersey number 2. [18:09] toku     Y-Y-Yes... [18:12] toku     There he is! Bonda Natsunosuke! [18:15] toku     I know everything about that guy! [18:18] matsu     Toku-chan's way too amped up. [18:21] matsu     Well, isn't this a surprise? [18:22] matsu     The reliever Bonda-san is starting today! [18:25] matsu     What do you think,     Color Commentator Tokunaga-san? [18:27] toku     Well, the thing is... [18:29] toku     A rotation pitcher needs to be able to     pace themselves through several innings. [18:33] toku     But a reliever tends to give it     all they've got in short bursts. [18:38] toku     And this pitcher, Bonda... [18:40] toku     Sadly, he couldn't make it in the pros     without going 120 percent on each pitch. [18:47] toku     He's the archetypal middle reliever! [18:49] bon     There's no way I can pace myself! [18:53] tou     He won't last three innings.     That's my prediction. [18:58] tou     But I happen to know a way to tell whether     Bonda Natsunosuke is in the zone or not. [19:04] matsu     Oh? I'd love to hear what it is. [19:06] toku     Sure. [19:07] toku     The moment he releases the ball, [19:10] ---     if his wrist is upright,     his pitches will be lively. [19:14] toku     On the other hand, if his wrist is down,     his pitches will get hammered. [19:18] matsu     Which is it today? [19:20] toku     Today... [19:25] toku     It's up! [19:28] an     Strike! [19:29] toku     I take back my statement that     he won't last three innings. [19:32] toku     I say he'll make it to the fifth. [19:35] hagi     Toku-chan's really changed up his style! SIGN    1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th [19:46] matsu     Starting pitcher Bonda Natsunosuke     is taken out in the fifth inning! [19:49] hagi     Amazing! Just like Toku-chan predicted! [19:53] bon     Forty-nine pitches thrown. [19:55] ---     Four and two-thirds innings lasted.     Four earned runs. [19:59] bon     In that moment, this 18 million pitcher     had but one thought. [20:04] bon     "I-I made it to the fifth!     I'm freaking amazing!" [20:08] ko     He did well for a spot starter. [20:11] tana     Yeah, he kept us in the game. [20:17] bon     Perhaps my efforts paid off, [20:19] bon     because we turned things around,     and I got a no decision in the game. [20:23] hagi     Toku-chan, your commentary was great today! [20:29] hagi     Work hard for your next appearance, okay? [20:32] toku     Okay! [20:34] bon     Looks like Toku-san and I both [20:36] ---     got through a dicey night     by the skin of our teeth. [20:40] bon     Of course, I'm not going to become     a rotation pitcher based on tonight. [20:45] bon     A spot starter is only a spot starter. [20:47] bon     A middle reliever is     a middle reliever to the end. [20:52] bon     If I really want to make money as a pitcher, [20:54] ---     I need to become a starter some day. [21:09] bon     "There's money buried under the pitch." [21:11] bon     That's a phrase you hear a lot. [21:14] bon     It's true, too. [21:16] bon     We're doing everything we can to dig it up, [21:19] bon     for as long as we're pros. [21:21] bon     It really is an unforgiving world. [21:24] bon     But it's still my job. [21:28] bon     Money Pitch! [23:01] bon     Natsunosuke here! [23:02] bon     Wow, I just realized something crazy. [23:06] bon     The hitters below my 18 million yen     salary have a hard time against me, [23:10] bon     but the hitters above     me hit against me all the time. [23:14] bon     I can keep the 50 million     ones at bay pretty well, but... [23:17] bon     What's that? What happens if I face     someone with the same salary? [23:21] Next time     It's a double-header with     "Tendency" and "Buddies." [23:24] Next time     Seize tomorrow's success and today's money! SIGN    Tendency Buddies [23:28] Next time     Money Pitch!