# 8 - The Commute to the Stadium
Source: [Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GRVDWZZ4R/gurazeni-money-pitch)
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.)
***SIGN*** The Commute to the Stadium
**[01:31] bon**
*I, Bonda Natsunosuke, live in an apartment
complex near the ballpark in the city.*
**[01:38] bon**
*It's just a one-bedroom apartment, of course.*
**[01:43] bon**
*But I live alone, so it's more than enough.*
***SIGN*** Spiders to Acquire Closer
to Replace Segawa
Roster staff visit the US!
**[01:48] bon**
*Spiders to acquire closer to replace Segawa?*
**[01:52] bon**
*Roster staff visit the US?*
**[01:56] bon**
* I bet Segawa-san's reading*
* this article and freaking out...*
**[02:06] bon**
*Two weeks earlier.*
**[02:09] bon**
* Our closer, Segawa-san, blew the save*
* and robbed Shibuya Akira of his first win.*
**[02:16] bon**
* That same day, he was dumped to the minors,*
* where he is currently regrouping.*
***SIGN*** The right fielder doesn't even move!
That ball is out of here!
***SIGN*** Bobby's massive two-run homer, his eighth of the season, turns things around!
**[02:27] bon**
*Poor Akira...*
**[02:29] bon**
* Another blown save,*
* another game without his first win!*
***SIGN*** 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th
**[02:43] seg**
The sun's so bright today...
**[02:47] bon**
*He earned the closer spot last year.*
**[02:51] bon**
* He was in the middle of his sixth season,*
* after getting scouted from an amateur team.*
**[02:55] bon**
*He racked up twenty saves as a closer,*
**[03:00] bon**
* and in the off-season, he doubled*
* his 25 million contract to 50 million!*
**[03:07] bon**
*A fairly late bloomer,*
**[03:08] bon**
* he was supposed to break out in force*
* this season, at age twenty-nine, but...*
**[03:18] seg**
Th-This is bad news.
**[03:22] hira**
Segawa.
**[03:24] seg**
Hirakawa-san.
**[03:26] hira**
That there? It's all true.
**[03:29] seg**
It's rough. The pro world is so unforgiving.
**[03:33] seg**
I mean, I knew that coming in...
**[03:36] seg**
Hey, is this the Triple-A pitcher they
made overtures to in the off-season?
**[03:42] seg**
Aguilera, I think?
**[03:44] hira**
Yeah, they say it's Aguilera.
**[03:47] hira**
But their first try was a bust.
**[03:50] sega**
What happens to me if they sign him?
**[03:53] hira**
Well, if that happens, you'll have to
fight him for the closer spot.
**[03:58] seki**
Like hell they're not gonna use
the foreigner after they sign him!
**[04:04] seki**
I'm gonna regress back to a middle reliever!
**[04:10] hira**
* Aguilera has racked up good stats*
* in the Triple-As this season,*
**[04:15] hira**
* but he's been feeling discouraged*
* that they won't bring him to the show.*
**[04:19] hira**
* They say he plays for much*
* less than Segawa, too.*
**[04:25] hira**
* And rumors say the club is prepared*
* to offer him 60 million.*
**[04:30] hira**
*It's gotta be a done deal.*
**[04:32] seg**
I beg you! Don't let it be a done deal!
**[04:36] seg**
But it's not manly to
leave it all up to prayer.
**[04:39] seg**
Let's get running!
**[04:40] bon**
*One year of solid performance*
**[04:43] bon**
* isn't enough to convince the club*
* that you're a real closer.*
**[04:47] bon**
* But there's one man who'll be panicking*
* even more than Segawa-san.*
**[04:55] bon**
Coming!
**[04:57] bon**
Thomas!
**[05:00] tom**
I read the news.
**[05:02] bon**
You managed to read it?
**[05:04] tom**
I sure did!
**[05:05] tom**
On the internet, you can
translate stuff with one click.
**[05:09] tom**
If they sign some new foreigner,
**[05:11] tom**
won't I get fired?!
**[05:15] tom**
It's gonna be me!
**[05:16] tom**
I'll be the one on the chopping block!
***SIGN*** Thomas Hotpopper Age 25
**[05:21] bon**
*Thomas Hotpopper, age twenty-five.*
***SIGN*** Born: USA Pitcher
(Left-hander/Sidearm)
**[05:24] bon**
* A foreign pitcher, born in the USA,*
* with a contract of 20 million.*
**[05:29] bon**
* In two seasons, he's racked*
* up a mere three wins.*
**[05:33] bon**
*None of them this year, of course.*
**[05:38] bon**
*He spends most of his time in the minors.*
**[05:42] bon**
*He's* very *occasionally brought up to
the majors as a spot starter and such.*
**[05:47] bon**
* But any time he starts,*
* regardless of the result,*
**[05:51] bon**
*he's purged from the roster the next day.*
**[05:56] bon**
*Why do they use him this way, you ask?*
**[06:00] bon**
* It's because of this thing called the*
* major league roster foreigners' cap.*
***SIGN*** Article 82-2 (Number of Foreign Players)
***SIGN*** A club may sign any number of foreign players. However, no more than four may appear on the active player roster, and no more than three may serve in either fielding or pitching positions at any one time.
**[06:04] bon**
*A club's official player cap is 70,*
**[06:07] bon**
* and there's no limit on how*
* many of those can be foreigners,*
**[06:11] bon**
* but no more than four can be active*
* on the roster at any one time.*
**[06:16] bon**
*No more than three of them can be pitchers,*
**[06:18] bon**
*and no more than three can be fielders.*
**[06:20] bon**
* So you get a total of four,*
* split between pitchers and fielders.*
***SIGN*** Desmond Pitcher (right-hander)
**[06:24] bon**
* Our team has Desmond,*
* a pitcher in the starting rotation,*
***SIGN*** Homer Pitcher (right-hander)
**[06:29] bon**
*middle relief pitcher Homer,*
***SIGN*** Tib Center Field (throws right, bats right)
**[06:33] sign**
*clean-up hitter and center fielder Tib,*
***SIGN*** Garrett Utility Player (throws right, bats right)
**[06:37] sign**
* and right-handed pinch hitter*
* and utility player, Garrett.*
**[06:42] bon**
*That is to say, two pitchers and two fielders.*
**[06:45] bon**
* These four foreigners on*
* our team are all reliable,*
**[06:49] bon**
* so we don't like to pull them*
* without a serious reason.*
**[06:55] bon**
* This all means that on days*
* when Thomas starts,*
**[06:58] bon**
*we have to drop someone else.*
**[07:01] bon**
* That's why, even though Thomas gets the*
* occasional chance to pitch in the majors,*
**[07:06] bon**
*he spends most of his time in the minors.*
**[07:11] tom**
Right now, there are six foreign
players signed with the Spiders.
**[07:16] tom**
They won't make it seven.
They won't cut their Japanese players.
**[07:20] tom**
But they can cut me! I'm a
foreign pitcher just like him!
**[07:24] bon**
Then why not sign on as a trainee player?
**[07:28] bon**
Then you could stay in the club!
**[07:30] tom**
T-Trainee?
**[07:32] tom**
They only make 2 or 3
million a year, don't they?
**[07:37] bon**
If that's not for you, why not go back
to America and try for the show?
**[07:40] bon**
That's the obvious choice, isn't it?
**[07:41] tom**
Oh, there's no way I could
make it to the show!
**[07:45] bon**
There are independent leagues, too.
**[07:48] tom**
Independent leagues?
**[07:50] tom**
Those are hamburger leagues!
**[07:52] tom**
You can't afford anything better
than hamburgers! You know that!
**[07:56] tom**
Japanese pro ball is the best there is.
**[07:59] tom**
There's no other country
where I could make 20 million.
**[08:06] tom**
Let's see...
**[08:08] tom**
Hey, it's Support Staff Manager Takeoka.
**[08:11] tom**
Hello? Thomas speaking.
**[08:13] tom**
Yes? Yes?
**[08:14] bon**
*Manager?*
**[08:16] bon**
*Can it be...?*
**[08:18] tom**
Tomorrow? In the majors?!
**[08:19] tom**
Y-You mean...
**[08:21] take**
That's right. You're starting.
**[08:24] take**
We're in Yokohama Stadium tomorrow.
**[08:27] take**
Can you make it by yourself?
**[08:28] tom**
Y-Yokohama...
**[08:31] tom**
Um... well...
**[08:33] take**
* If you can't make it,*
* I can come get you at noon.*
**[08:37] bon**
Thomas, put me on.
**[08:39] bon**
Bonda here, Takeoka-san.
**[08:41] bon**
I'll get him to Yokohama Stadium,
safe and sound.
**[08:44] take**
Hey, Natsunosuke. Really?
**[08:47] take**
Sorry to impose, but please do.
**[08:51] bon**
If you're starting,
**[08:53] bon**
that means the club still needs you!
**[08:58] bon**
If you pitch well tomorrow,
**[09:00] bon**
they might decide you're too good to fire!
**[09:03] tom**
I-I'll do my best!
**[09:06] tom**
Natsunosuke, please take me to Yokohama
Stadium tomorrow, without any mistakes.
**[09:12] bon**
I won't make mistakes!
**[09:16] bon**
*The fact is, I commute to Jingu by bike.*
**[09:20] bon**
* I hear there are some clubs that*
* forbid their players from riding bikes,*
**[09:24] bon**
*but it gets me there in ten minutes.*
**[09:26] bon**
*I get to the Dome by bike, too.*
**[09:30] bon**
*For Yokohama Stadium...*
**[09:34] bon**
*I take the train!*
**[09:36] bon**
*A lot of major leaguers drive,*
**[09:40] bon**
* but I'm not famous enough to be*
* recognized by fellow commuters.*
**[09:44] bon**
* Most foreign players use public transport*
* to get to these three stadiums, too.*
**[09:50] bon**
*To put it bluntly,*
**[09:52] bon**
* the club forbids its foreign*
* players from driving to work.*
**[09:57] bon**
* Thomas takes his train in a different*
* direction than the other foreigners.*
**[10:03] bon**
* That's because the Spiders' minor league*
* field is in Toda, in Saitama Prefecture.*
***SIGN*** Toda Field
***SIGN*** Tokyo Dome
***SIGN*** Jingu Stadium
***SIGN*** Home
***SIGN*** Shibuya
***SIGN*** Yokohama Stadium
***SIGN*** (Tokyo)
***SIGN*** (Kanagawa)
**[10:08] bon**
* Young Japanese players*
* tend to live in this area,*
**[10:13] bon**
* but the apartments the club*
* arrange for the foreign players*
**[10:16] bon**
*tend to be in the heart of the city,*
**[10:18] bon**
*which means Thomas has a rough commute.*
***SIGN*** Rapid Shonan-Shinjuku Line
**[10:21] bon**
* And when he does occasionally get called*
* to pitch in the majors, he gets disoriented.*
**[10:25] bon**
* If it's in another city, we go as a group,*
* so there's no need to worry about that.*
**[10:30] bon**
* But Yokohama means changing trains,*
* so it's even worse.*
**[10:34] tom**
I'd probably get lost if I were by myself.
**[10:37] bon**
It's my job to escort our
precious starter to the stadium.
**[10:42] bon**
*He's two meters tall.*
**[10:44] bon**
*Thomas is so tall,*
**[10:47] bon**
* but he's a left-handed*
* sidearm pitcher like me.*
**[10:49] bon**
* Still, he throws a hell of a junk ball,*
* and his pitches pack a punch.*
**[10:56] bon**
Thomas, this is our train.
**[10:58] tom**
You got it!
**[11:01] ugu**
* We will now announce*
* the battery for each team.*
**[11:08] ugu**
* For the away team, Jingu Spiders:*
* Pitcher, Thomas.*
**[11:13] ugu**
*Pitcher, Thomas.*
**[11:17] tom**
Let's do this!
**[11:19] bon**
* But Coach Yoshikawa of the Blue*
* Comets had taken countermeasures.*
***SIGN*** Manda Ichimura Kanezawa Murayama BB Rodriguez Takefuji Oharada Misato
**[11:24] bon**
* He prepared a lineup of all*
* right-handers to crush Thomas.*
**[11:29] bon**
Thomas might be in real trouble tonight.
**[11:32] tom**
I love Japan!
**[11:34] tom**
I want to stay in Japanese pro baseball!
**[11:37] tom**
No, I *will* stay in Japanese pro baseball!
**[11:55] tom**
I love Japan!
**[11:56] tom**
I want to stay in Japanese pro baseball!
**[11:59] tom**
No, I *will* stay in Japanese pro baseball!
**[12:05] bon**
* Thomas is running into trouble*
* with the foreign player cap.*
**[12:09] bon**
*If he doesn't pitch well in this game,*
**[12:11] bon**
*he could get dumped mid-season.*
**[12:15] bon**
* I gave him a little advice of my*
* own on the way to the stadium.*
***SIGN*** Thomas, you have a tendency to lose your temper on the mound.
***SIGN*** Listen up, don't forget to breathe.
***SIGN*** No worries, no worries! I'll be fine!
**[12:31] tom**
*Stacking the lineup with righties, are we?*
**[12:36] ugu**
*Batting first. Second base, Manda.*
**[12:40] tom**
*That doesn't matter.*
**[12:42] tom**
*That doesn't matter!*
**[12:44] tan**
If Thomas can make it
through this batting order once,
**[12:46] tan**
that's all we can ask for.
**[12:54] tom**
* I don't even know much about*
* you Japanese batters, anyway!*
**[13:00] man**
*His arms are so long!*
**[13:04] ump**
Strike!
**[13:09] man**
*144.*
**[13:11] man**
* While the ball doesn't have much spin,*
* it's really sharp.*
**[13:13] man**
*But it's easy to see his release point.*
**[13:16] man**
*I can hit it!*
**[13:24] bon**
*And so, the leadoff hitter pops out to second.*
**[13:30] bon**
* Thomas did well with his first*
* time through the order, but...*
***SIGN*** 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
**[13:37] ann**
In the fourth, the Blue Comets have scored
twice and still have the bases loaded.
**[13:41] ann**
Thomas has been getting pummeled
his second time through the order.
**[13:44] ann**
Well, he has gotten two outs here.
**[13:47] col**
He's really struggling with
all those right-handers.
**[13:51] col**
They're still ahead by three, but...
**[13:54] col**
Thomas is just...
Yeah, he's losing his temper.
**[13:58] col**
They'll probably bring in a reliever here.
**[14:01] col**
When Thomas gets mad,
**[14:03] col**
he tends to throw everything
right down the plate.
**[14:07] col**
Even with a three-run lead,
they'll be scared.
**[14:09] col**
They won't let him throw to another batter.
**[14:12] ann**
Coach Tanabe is leaving the dugout.
**[14:16] col**
They might bring in one of Nitta
or Fukuyama, both right-handers.
**[14:20] ann**
Look at Thomas! He's laying
into the pitching coach!
**[14:24] gu**
*Pitching for Thomas,*
**[14:29] gu**
*Bonda. Bonda.*
**[14:32] ann**
Bonda?!
**[14:34] ann**
They've chosen Bonda,
a southpaw just like Thomas!
**[14:37] cc**
Not a righty?
**[14:40] cc**
It's still early innings. Maybe they
want to save the righties for later.
**[14:44] ann**
But while Bonda's throwing practice pitches,
**[14:47] ann**
Thomas is still offering a piece
of his mind on the mound!
**[14:51] ann**
Thomas is finally leaving the mound!
**[14:59] tom**
Shit! Goddamn!
**[15:03] ann**
Thomas is on the bench, still fuming!
**[15:06] ann**
He's usually such a nice guy,
**[15:09] ann**
but when he gets mad,
he's like a different person!
**[15:11] ko**
Thomas. Look carefully
at Natsunosuke's pitching.
**[15:15] tsu**
"Thomas, watch Natsunosuke's pitching."
**[15:24] ump**
B-Ball!
**[15:25] ump**
Ball four!
**[15:27] ann**
He walks in the run!
**[15:29] ann**
Now it's five to three!
**[15:30] ann**
The lead's down to two!
***SIGN*** 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
**[15:35] tom**
He walked him in!
**[15:37] tom**
I could have gotten him out!
**[15:40] bon**
* But I led the next guy into*
* a grounder to shortstop,*
**[15:44] bon**
*and the inning ended.*
**[15:48] ko**
Natsunosuke only walked him because
he was aiming for the corners.
**[15:54] ko**
He was right on the black, and they
just happened to get called as balls.
**[15:59] ko**
To put it another way,
**[16:01] ko**
Natsunosuke has the courage to throw balls.
**[16:05] ko**
Even though he walked in a run,
**[16:08] ko**
we're still leading by two.
**[16:11] ko**
Natsunosuke pitched carefully
to minimize the damage,
**[16:16] ko**
got the next batter to ground out,
and ended the inning.
**[16:20] ko**
Thomas, when you get in trouble,
you throw all your pitches down the plate.
**[16:25] ko**
It's because you lose your temper
and try to rush things to a conclusion.
**[16:28] ko**
And it's not just that.
**[16:30] ko**
It's because you don't have
the courage to throw balls.
**[16:42] ko**
Okay, Natsunosuke.
**[16:45] ko**
Nice pitching.
**[16:46] bon**
Thanks.
**[16:49] ko**
Natsunosuke, take us as far as you can today.
**[16:52] bon**
Sure thing.
**[17:03] bon**
* That day, I stayed on the mound*
* for the next inning and on.*
***SIGN*** 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
**[17:07] bon**
*And then...*
**[17:13] bon**
*In the end,*
**[17:15] bon**
*the game ended five to three,*
**[17:18] bon**
* and the winning pitcher*
* was me, Bonda Natsunosuke!*
**[17:23] bon**
*My second win of the season!*
**[17:26] tera**
Thomas.
**[17:28] tera**
They're gonna take this out of your pay.
**[17:32] tom**
How much does it cost?
**[17:35] tera**
About 80,000 yen, I bet.
**[17:39] tom**
No way a plastic bucket costs 80,000 yen!
**[17:42] tera**
Why, you...
**[17:43] tera**
You must think you're pretty hot,
blowing your top all the time!
**[17:46] sak**
Yeah! Think you're hot stuff, huh?
**[17:48] tera**
Like you're some great player!
**[17:51] ---**
H-Hey! Stop that!
**[17:52] take**
Hey, Thomas! Where are you?
**[17:56] tom**
Y-Yes? I'm here! Right here!
**[18:00] tom**
Takeoka-san, help me!
**[18:02] take**
What's all this?
**[18:03] take**
Are you getting sanctioned
for losing your head today?
**[18:06] tom**
S-Sanctioned? What's that mean?
**[18:10] bon**
* That's right. Thomas is the type*
* who gets ragged on a lot.*
**[18:13] take**
We're playing in Tokyo Dome tomorrow.
You can make it there yourself, right?
**[18:18] tom**
D-Dome?
**[18:19] tom**
You're not sending me back down tomorrow?
**[18:21] take**
We're not going to send you
back down right away every time.
**[18:27] bon**
Thomas, want to commute
with me again tomorrow?
**[18:31] tom**
Natsunosuke?
**[18:33] tom**
Yeah! Show me the way, please!
**[18:36] bon**
You've got your own bike, right?
**[18:47] bon**
Thomas! This is the Yasukuni Shrine!
**[18:50] tom**
Hey, I've heard of that!
**[18:53] tom**
May Japan and America never go to war again!
**[19:03] tom**
The Skytree!
**[19:05] tom**
On top of the hill in Kudan,
**[19:07] tom**
you can see it so clearly
between the skyscrapers!
**[19:11] bon**
Yep! It's a great viewing spot, in its way.
**[19:14] tom**
I love Tokyo! I love Japan!
**[19:18] bon**
By the way, a little bird told me that
talks with Aguilera aren't going well.
**[19:24] bon**
Apparently, he doesn't want to leave America.
**[19:28] tom**
Really?!
**[19:30] bon**
I guess we'll be keeping Segawa-san
as our closer for a while.
**[19:34] bon**
And, Thomas, looks like
you get to keep your job.
**[19:37] tom**
Yeah!
**[19:40] bon**
After everything I told you, you still
lost your stupid temper on the mound!
**[19:44] tom**
Sorry! Sorry!
**[19:48] bon**
*But it's true of all baseball players.*
**[19:51] bon**
* When we get out there on the pitch,*
* it's hard to think about our jobs.*
**[19:56] tom**
All that aside, Natsunosuke.
**[19:59] tom**
I learned something from watching you pitch.
**[20:02] tom**
The courage to throw balls.
**[20:04] tom**
That's not a mindset we
see in America very often.
**[20:08] tom**
That's a Japanese...
and a pro baseball mindset.
**[20:11] bon**
I don't have the speed that you do,
so I have to think about that stuff!
**[20:16] bon**
Thomas, we're free to go!
**[20:18] bon**
Time to go!
**[20:19] bon**
When we turn left on this street,
Tokyo Dome will be within our sights.
**[20:23] tom**
Japanese baseball has so much depth!
***SIGN*** Several Days Later
**[20:31] bon**
* In the end, the club's attempts*
* to secure a new closer fell through.*
***SIGN*** Spiders
Plans for Foreign Closer Fall Through!
***SIGN*** Closer Segawa Returns to the Majors!
**[20:36] bon**
*Our closer, Segawa, returned to the majors.*
**[20:41] seg**
*The club's so stingy.*
**[20:44] seg**
* If they'd brought in a new foreigner,*
* I would've been stuck down there.*
**[20:47] bon**
* But getting dropped down*
* to the minors instead was...*
**[20:49] tom**
Yeah, it figures.
**[20:52] bon**
*Thomas.*
**[20:54] bon**
Take care!
**[21:01] seg**
Hey!
**[21:02] bon**
Hey there!
**[21:05] bon**
*Keep at it, Thomas.*
**[21:12] bon**
*And Thomas is still...*
**[21:16] tom**
* You teeny-tiny Japanese*
* batters can't hit off me!*
**[21:19] bon**
*...pitching away in the minors.*
**[21:25] bon**
*And losing his temper all the while.*
**[23:01] bon**
Natsunosuke here.
**[23:03] bon**
Boy, what to do about Kuriki-senpai?
**[23:06] bon**
He's a batting pitcher and a scorer,
**[23:09] bon**
but he's always giving me pitching
form advice about how to speed up.
**[23:14] bon**
He helped me a lot back in the minors,
**[23:16] bon**
so I can't just blow him off.
**[23:19] bon**
What'll I do?
**[23:22] bon**
Next time: "Teacher or Cautionary Tale?"
**[23:24] bon**
Seize tomorrow's success and today's money!
***SIGN*** Teacher or Cautionary Tale?
**[23:27] bon**
Money Pitch!