14 - The Softy

Source: Crunchyroll
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(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.)
[01:30] bon
    I broke my right wrist just before
    interleague play started.
[01:36] bon
    Four months later, in September,
    I finally returned to the majors.
[01:41] bon
    Luckily for me, the three top CL teams
    are in a tight race for the pennant,
SIGN    Central League Standings
SIGN    W L T GB
SIGN    Tempters
[01:43] [SONG] sign
    Mops
SIGN    Spiders
[01:47] bon
    and my Jingu Spiders are in third, just one
    win behind the leading Osaka Tempters.
[01:54] bon
    If I can contribute to a pennant win
    in this do-or-die moment,
[01:56] bon
    I can make up for the four months
    I spent out of action!
SIGN    The Softy
[02:01] bon
    It's my third day back in the majors,
[02:03] bon
    and our showdown with the
    second-place Bunkyo Mops—
[02:06] bon
    the last of a three-game series—has begun.
[02:10] sako
    Natsunosuke, enough.
[02:11] sako
    Swap out for Asai.
[02:13] bon
    Huh? But I've only thrown five pitches...
[02:15] sako
    Just swap out.
[02:18] bon
    O-Okay...
[02:21] bon
    What the heck's going on here?
[02:24] bon
    I was hoping to go all out now
    that I'm finally back in the game,
[02:27] bon
    but I won't get an appearance today either...
SIGN    1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
[02:29] bon
    A guy who came up from the minors
    with me is playing in today's game.
[02:34] ugu
    Batting eighth, right field, Itsuki.
[02:38] ket
    Roppa-kun!
[02:39] man
    Sonny boy!
[02:40] bon
    Itsuki Roppa.
[02:42] bon
    He's twenty-six years old, just like me.
[02:45] bon
    He throws right and bats left.
[02:47] bon
    He was recruited out of
    college four years ago.
[02:50] bon
    His contract is 6.5 million.
[02:52] bon
    He's been brought up to the majors after
    an amazing hot streak in the minors.
SIGN    Toda Stadium
    Saitama Prefecture
[02:59] [SONG] sign
    Jingu Spiders Match Schedule
    August 22 Jingu vs. Tokorozawa Jaguars
    Today's match is at 13:00
[03:07] hide
    Hey, batter! Hit it here!
[03:12] hide
    Here it comes!
[03:16] hide
    It's going long!
[03:21] hide
    I got it! I got it!
[03:22] ump
    Out!
[03:23] bon
    Hey, nice play!
[03:27] team
    Nice play!
[03:29] hide
    Yeah, yeah!
[03:33] hide
    Now, bring it on!
[03:38] hide
    Yeah!
[03:39] hide
    C'mon, drop! Drop!
[03:42] hide
    It dropped!
[03:44] hide
    It's fair! It's fair!
[03:48] hide
    Yes! A double!
[03:49] ump
    Safe!
[03:50] hide
    That hit gets me up to .300!
[03:55] hide
    Hey, I'm taking a lead! I'm taking a lead!
[04:00] hide
    Yeah, a hit! I'm going all the way home!
[04:05] hide
    That's gonna be dicey!
[04:06] right
    Back home!
[04:09] hide
    Run, legs! Run!
[04:12] catch
    Out!
[04:13] hide
    What's the call?
[04:14] ump
    Out! Out!
[04:17] hide
    Heck, go figure!
[04:19] hide
    And here I thought I'd make it.
[04:21] bon
    He's so cheerful after getting
    tagged out at home.
[04:25] hide
    Boy, he got me good!
[04:27] bon
    It's a fair-weather Sunday.
[04:30] bon
    On this beautiful day...
[04:32] bon
    That dusty uniform...
[04:34] bon
    That sun-baked smile...
[04:37] bon
    What are you, an old man
    playing grass-lot ball?!
[04:42] man
    Sonny boy's having another active day.
[04:45] bon
    Itsuki's wife and his father-in-law.
[04:49] bon
    They live nearby,
[04:51] bon
    so they'd always come to Toda Stadium to
    cheer him on for his minor league games.
[04:58] bon
    By the way, even among pro ballplayers,
[05:01] bon
    you sometimes see people with husky builds.
[05:03] bon
    They also tend to be real jacked
    in the nude, but not this guy.
[05:08] hide
    Boy, it's hot today!
[05:10] bon
    This guy really has the physique
    of an old man in grass-lot ball!
[05:17] bon
    When you make baseball your living,
    you see more bad times than good.
[05:21] bon
    The guys on the farm team always have
    a slight whiff of tragedy about them.
[05:26] bon
    But there's none of that from this guy.
[05:29] bon
    He really plays baseball because he enjoys it!
[05:32] hide
    I can't believe I'm a grown-up
    getting to play baseball every day!
[05:36] hide
    I get paid for it, too!
[05:38] hide
    And I just love the slow pace of the farm!
[05:42] bon
    That's what it feels like.
[05:43] bon
    Personality-wise, he's the quintessential
    "guy not cut out for the pros."
[05:47] bon
    "How is he not cut out for it," you ask?
[05:50] bon
    He's got a good batting average,
    but he has precious few RBIs.
[05:55] bon
    He bats sixth, which is a good
    place in the order for RBIs,
[05:59] bon
    but this season, he only has four!
[06:02] bon
    "Is he the type to buckle
    under pressure," you ask?
[06:05] bon
    No, that would actually be preferable!
[06:08] bon
    This guy just doesn't think about anything!
[06:12] bon
    He just hits whatever they throw at him!
[06:15] bon
    Doesn't matter if there's a runner or not!
[06:18] bon
    As a result, he has precious few walks, too.
[06:20] bon
    Incredibly, he only has one this season!
[06:25] bon
    Though the fact that he still bats at .300
[06:28] bon
    suggests the incredible potential he has.
[06:32] bon
    His physique makes him look
    like he trots along when he runs,
[06:36] bon
    but he's actually got surprising speed.
[06:39] bon
    So he's got a surprising
    number of infield hits.
[06:42] bon
    And because he's fast, he's a
    perfectly reliable fielder, too.
[06:47] hide
    That beer was great!
[06:49] bon
    Even the way you drink beer...
[06:51] bon
    You're such an old man!
[06:55] bon
    Are you really the same age as me?
[06:57] bon
    Yeah!
[06:58] bon
    Maybe the reason you seem
    like such an old man
[07:02] bon
    is because you're hitched?
[07:04] bon
    I'm a child by comparison.
[07:07] bon
    That's what I said, but that's sarcasm.
[07:10] bon
    The real reason he seems like an old man
[07:12] bon
    is because he's an old man
    playing grass-lot ball at heart!
[07:17] hide
    I'm more than just hitched!
[07:19] hide
    I've also got a kid coming
    at the end of September!
[07:21] bon
    Really?
[07:23] bon
    That's just a month and a half away!
SIGN    Izakaya Yama-ariki
[07:25] bon
    I see, I see. You're gonna be a daddy?
[07:28] bon
    You'd better get up to the majors soon, then!
[07:31] hid
    I thought I'd go up when you came down, yeah.
[07:36] hid
    But of course, they wanted
    a southpaw pitcher.
[07:39] hid
    Good for you, though!
    You finally get to pitch in a game!
[07:44] hid
    You'll be back in the majors in ten days, I bet!
[07:48] bon
    There are moments that make me think,
[07:51] bon
    "No matter how well this guy hits in the farm,
[07:54] bon
    he'll never make it to the majors again."
[07:58] bon
    He's just not cut out to be a pro,
    personality-wise.
[08:01] bon
    For instance, when he's not hitting well,
[08:05] bon
    and he comes up to bat with the bases loaded,
[08:08] bon
    could he take the walk to force a runner in?
[08:13] bon
    When there's a runner on third,
[08:15] bon
    could he hit a grounder to second
    to bring the runner home?
[08:20] bon
    Both cases would get him an RBI.
[08:23] bon
    Both win-wins.
[08:24] bon
    But in both cases, he'd swing away
    and strike out in three!
[08:29] bon
    He's the type of guy where
    that's so easy to imagine.
[08:33] bon
    Guys cut out to go pro will hang in there
    and do what it takes to eke out the run.
[08:40] hide
    You know...
[08:41] hide
    For the sake of my incoming kid,
[08:44] hide
    I gotta get my first hit
    as a pro on the board.
[08:49] bon
    What, you've never gotten a hit in the majors?
[08:52] hide
    Yeah, sad to say.
[08:54] bon
    That's right.
[08:55] bon
    In his four years as a pro, he only
    spent one month in the majors, so...
[09:01] bon
    Well, I guess that makes sense.
[09:04] yui
    Roppa-kun.
[09:05] dad
    Sonny boy.
[09:06] hide
    Hey, Yui. Dad.
[09:07] yui
    We came to pick you up.
[09:09] dad
    Thank you, Bonda-san, for looking after him.
[09:13] bon
    No problem.
[09:15] [SONG] sign
    Piyopiyo Honpo
[09:17] dad
    Excuse us.
[09:18] hide
    Take care!
[09:19] bon
    Take care.
[09:24] bon
    Piyopiyo Honpo
[09:26] bon
    is a Japanese-style confectionery chain
    with fifteen stores in Saitama Prefecture.
[09:30] bon
    Itsuki married the only
    daughter of the owners,
[09:33] bon
    and they live with his in-laws.
[09:36] catch
    So whenever he quits baseball,
[09:40] bon
    he'll have a job lined up as
    president of Piyopiyo Honpo!
[09:45] bon
    You can see how a guy like that wouldn't
    bend over backwards to get to the majors.
[09:51] bon
    Not that I envy him or anything.
[09:56] bon
    As a mere pro baller with an uncertain future,
[10:01] bon
    and his body as his only resource,
[10:03] bon
    I know I can't stay here forever!
[10:05] bon
    I need to get back to the majors
    as soon as possible...
[10:08] bon
    Or I'll get a pay cut next season!
[10:16] bon
    Today, Itsuki is starting,
    batting eighth and playing right field.
[10:20] bon
    This is his third time at the plate.
[10:22] bon
    His last two at-bats, he made good contact,
[10:25] bon
    but the defense's amazing
    fielding kept him in check.
[10:28] (Flashback) bon
    You know...
[10:30] (Flashback) bon
    For the sake of my incoming kid,
[10:32] (Flashback) bon
    I gotta get my first hit
    as a pro on the board.
[10:37] dad
    Yui, how are you feeling?
[10:39] yui
    I'm just fine.
[10:40] yui
    The baby's kicking a lot!
[10:47] bon
    Going...
[10:48] dad
    Going...
[11:08] hide
    At last, my first hit...
[11:09] bon
    ...in the pros!
[11:16] ana
    The center-fielder robbed the home run!
[11:18] ana
    What an amazing play!
[11:20] yui
    Oh, Roppa-kun...
[11:22] dad
    Sonny boy...
[11:23] ana
    Itsuki, in his first start in a year,
    has been robbed of three hits today!
[11:29] ana
    Rotten luck for him, huh, Tokunaga-san?
[11:31] toku
    Yes, it's a terrible shame.
[11:34] toku
    But that center-fielder's moves
    were amazing, weren't they?
SIGN    1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
[11:38] toku
    That homer would've given them the lead.
[11:40] bon
    What rotten luck.
[11:43] bon
    Itsuki...
[11:44] umi
    Itsuki, don't get discouraged.
[11:46] umi
    Give us your best on defense.
[11:47] hide
    Sure!
[11:51] bon
    Itsuki's 0 and 3, but they're
    still letting him play?
[11:55] bon
    Well, it stands to reason.
    He should've had three hits.
[11:59] bon
    And I've heard that since they brought him up,
[12:01] bon
    his batting practice performance
    has been amazing.
[12:05] umi
    W-Wow... Itsuki...
[12:14] tana
    At this rate, can't not put Itsuki
    in the starting lineup.
[12:19] bon
    But while everyone might be thinking,
    "Itsuki's had some rotten luck today,"
[12:24] bon
    I can't help but think his poor results
    come from a lack of real pro spirit.
[12:30] bon
    You could call it
    "The determination to get a hit."
[12:34] bon
    When a player with that determination
    comes up for their third at-bat,
[12:37] bon
    they might go for a cheap hit.
[12:40] bon
    Like clipping it just over
    the shortstop's head, you know?
[12:44] bon
    Itsuki just hits like it's an
    extension of batting practice.
[12:48] bon
    At the same time, I can't deny
    that Itsuki is in the zone.
[12:51] bon
    And I'm in the zone, too!
[12:54] bon
    I was producing results in the farm.
    That's why they called me up.
[12:59] bon
    But for two days, they
    haven't put me in the game.
[13:02] (Flashback) sako
    Natsunosuke, our pitching staff's in a bad way.
[13:05] (Flashback) sako
    Come back to us soon, okay?
[13:07] bon
    That's what he said.
[13:10] bon
    But both yesterday and the day before,
[13:12] bon
    there have been moments
    when I thought "is this my turn?"
[13:14] bon
    But they called in a different
    left-hander instead.
[13:18] bon
    Anyway, I'm back now. Be patient!
[13:21] bon
    Do the job you're given,
    for the sake of the team!
[13:24] bon
    The accomplishments will follow!
[13:27] sako
    Natsunosuke.
[13:30] sako
    Get warmed up.
[13:34] bon
    Yes, sir!
[13:42] bon
    And then, in the 8th inning...
[13:45] ann
    It broke out through left center!
[13:48] ann
    It's a double!
[13:50] ann
    There's two outs, but the man
    on deck has had two hits today.
[13:53] ann
    It's their 3-hole, Tomoto!
[13:55] toku
    You gotta assume the Spiders
    will bring out a lefty here.
[14:01] sako
    Natsunosuke, you're up.
[14:04] bon
    It's here!
[14:05] bon
    It's finally here!
[14:08] ugu
    The Spiders are announcing
    a change of pitcher.
[14:11] ugu
    Now pitching: Bonda!
[14:14] ugu
    Jersey 39.
[14:16] ann
    His broken right wrist now healed,
[14:19] ann
    left-hander Bonda is finally back
    after four months!
[14:27] bon
    I'm finally...
[14:31] bon
    I'm finally back...
[14:35] bon
    Back here!
[14:38] toku
    You did it, Natsunosuke!
[14:40] ann
    Having Bonda back is a major
    win for the Spiders, huh?
[14:46] toku
    Yeah, good thing he made it back in time.
[14:49] toku
    He was their ace middle reliever
    before he broke his wrist.
[14:55] toku
    And the last four months have
    probably been really hard on him.
[15:01] toku
    Hopefully, he'll make up for the
    four months he spent out of action.
[15:06] ono
    That's right.
[15:07] ono
    Go for it, Senpai!
[15:09] shibu
    Take him out, Natsunosuke!
[15:13] shi
    Time to get a fresh start.
[15:15] shi
    Crawl your way back to the top, Natsunosuke.
SIGN    1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
[15:19] bon
    It's the top of the 8th,
    and the game is tied.
[15:22] bon
    There's two outs and a runner on second.
[15:26] bon
    This is definitely a place where
    a pitcher earns his keep.
[15:30] bon
    I guess the management really does trust me!
[15:46] bon
    I'm gonna get you out!
[16:01] bon
    I've got it! I've got it!
[16:03] bon
    Got him! Pop fly to second!
[16:07] hide
    No, I've got it! Leave it to me!
[16:10] bon
    No, second! Second!
[16:13] bon
    Itsuki, leave this to me!
[16:21] ann
    The runner scores from second!
[16:22] ann
    The Mops take the lead!
SIGN    1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
[16:25] ann
    A clutch hit to shallow right field!
[16:28] bon
    A hit!
[16:30] bon
    I... I gave up the hit
    that put them in the lead!
[16:35] bon
    Itsuki!
[16:36] bon
    Don't say you're gonna catch it
    and then pull out!
[16:40] yui
    Roppa-kun...
[16:41] dad
    Sonny boy...
[16:43] ugu
    The Spiders are announcing
    a change of pitcher.
[16:47] ugu
    Segawa will be pitching for Bonda.
[16:47] bon
    Determination.
[16:50] bon
    Itsuki, you don't have enough
    determination for catching the ball.
[16:56] bon
    Someone with determination
    would never pull out on the catch.
[17:01] bon
    They'd go for it,
    even if it meant a collision!
[17:06] bon
    That ended up being the winning run.
[17:09] bon
    With the pennant on the line,
[17:12] bon
    I was unable to help my team today.
[17:18] [SONG] sign
    Piyopiyo Honpo
[17:19] hi
    Papa's fourth at-bat
    was a ground out to first!
[17:22] hi
    He wasn't able to get his first pro hit.
[17:26] dad
    But, Hiroshi, Papa will get his hit tomorrow!
[17:31] hide
    If they let me play, that is!
[17:34] dad
    Given how you played today,
    I'm sure they will.
[17:37] hide
    Hiroshi, Papa's big boy Hiroshi!
[17:39] hide
    Will Papa play tomorrow? What do you think?
[17:45] dad
    Sonny boy's been so worked up
    since he learned the baby was a boy.
[17:51] dad
    He's even picked out the name,
    and they both call him that.
[17:55] yui
    But actually, Roppa-kun,
    at my check-up today...
[17:59] hide
    What happened at your check-up?
[18:02] yui
    We found out the baby is breech.
[18:05] hide
    B-Breech?
[18:07] hide
    But he was just fine last month...
[18:10] hide
    Is that something that can just
    happen in the ninth month?
[18:12] yui
    Rarely, but it does happen.
[18:16] yui
    They might have to do a C-section.
[18:21] hide
    A-A C-section?!
[18:24] hide
    I-I'd rather avoid that.
[18:26] hide
    They'll open you up with a scalpel, right?
[18:29] yui
    It's very likely they'll have to.
[18:33] hide
    How can it turn breech in the ninth month?
[18:36] hide
    Please be born safely, Hiroshi!
[18:40] hide
    Papa's working hard so you
    can watch him play ball!
[18:45] hide
    Hiroshi!
[18:49] bon
    When I thought back on today's match,
[18:52] bon
    I got so annoyed, I didn't want to
    go back to my empty apartment.
[18:58] bon
    I was finally back in the majors.
    I got my appearance today.
[19:02] bon
    And more than anything...
[19:04] bon
    I wanted to be healed by her smile!
SIGN    Kitchen Ajihei
[19:10] sign
    It's been five months, I think.
[19:12] sign
    I didn't want her to see me
    with my bandages on...
[19:15] sign
    But I hope she hasn't quit in the meantime.
[19:23] yuki
    Welcome!
[19:25] yuki
    Go ahead and grab an empty seat.
[19:25] bon
    She's here! Yuki-chan!
[19:30] yuki
    Do you know what you'd like?
[19:33] bon
    F-Fried chicken 'n' rice!
[19:36] yuki
    One fried chicken 'n' rice!
[19:38] ---
    Okay, one chicken 'n' rice!
[19:42] bon
    She didn't ask me anything but my order,
[19:46] bon
    but just seeing her smile
    sets my heart at peace!
[19:50] cas
    The Jingu Spiders and Bunkyo
    Mops were tied up in the 8th,
SIGN    Baseball News
[19:56] sign
    when Pitcher Bonda, returning
    after four months with an injury,
[20:01] sign
    gave up a hit to player Tomoto,
    allowing a 6-5 Mops victory.
[20:06] man
    Wow, Bonda got hurt?
[20:09] man
    Did we have a pitcher named Bonda?
[20:11] man
    Yeah, the left-handed reliever
    with the horn-rimmed glasses.
[20:15] man
    Oh, him!
[20:17] bon
    I'm sitting right here, darn it!
[20:18] cas
    The first-place Tempters lost today,
[20:20] bon
    Well, it's not like they know what I look like...
[20:20] cas
    so the Mops have pulled into
    first place by half a game.
[20:23] cas
    The Spiders are now 1.5 games
    behind the Mops, in third place.
SIGN    Central League Standings
SIGN    W L T GB
SIGN    Tempters
[20:23] [SONG] sign
    Mops
SIGN    Spiders
[20:28] yuki
    Aw, the Tempters fell to second place?
[20:32] man
    Hey, don't sweat it, Yuki-chan.
[20:34] man
    The Mops'll get knocked down again soon.
[20:36] man
    And the Spiders are totally done for.
[20:39] man
    Yeah, it's totally the Tempters this year!
[20:42] yuki
    Well, I sure hope you're right...
[20:44] bon
    No, no! I'm not giving in that easily!
[20:48] bon
    Sorry, Yuki-chan,
[20:50] bon
    but I'm going to work like crazy
    in the 19 games left in the season,
[20:53] bon
    and help my team win the pennant!
[20:57] bon
    I need to make up for these last four months!
[21:01] yuki
    Here's your fried chicken 'n' rice!
[21:05] bon
    Thanks!
[21:06] bon
    Wow, what a great smell!
[21:09] bon
    That's Yuki-chan's personal recipe,
    fried chicken 'n' rice!
[21:13] bon
    Now, we start with the rice...
[21:19] bon
    Delicious!
[21:20] bon
    This is the flavor!
[21:22] bon
    I'm charged up with love and energy!
[21:25] bon
    Tomorrow's the day!
[21:26] bon
    Money pitch!
[23:01] bon
    Natsunosuke here.
[23:03] bon
    Itsuki Roppa is knocking it
    out of the park in practice,
[23:07] bon
    but he just can't hit in the clutch!
[23:09] bon
    He's messing us up on defense, too,
    and he got me a loss as a pitcher!
[23:14] bon
    The manager's sick of it, too,
[23:16] bon
    and he's thinking of sending
    him down to the minors.
[23:18] bon
    I'm trying a lecture to get him
    motivated again, but...
[23:23] bon
    Next time: "Rising to First"!
[23:25] bon
    Seize tomorrow's success and today's money!
SIGN    Rising to First!
[23:27] bon
    Money Pitch!