Oct 30, 2019: Toyama – Akira Watanabe came to the Lupin organization as their first draft pick in 2013, the third selection overall.  The team was five years out from its last appearance in the post season—a streak that would run to ten straight years with last year’s 5^th place finish.  This evening at 6:05pm, he will step to the pitcher’s mound and take the ball in what is arguably the most important game in the organization’s history.

That is when the Naha Shisa and Lupin Cliff Hangers meet to decide who will step forward out of the 2019 Wasei Junkesshou, and event that was set up by a momentous 10-run 8^th inning in Game 6 that brought the team back from the land of the dead and has fans wondering if this is the team of destiny. 

“It’s been a very strange series for us,” said Lupin GM Ron Collins.  “But, then, it’s been a year where we’ve had a series of guys step up at the right time, so we suppose no one should be particularly surprised about that.”  Strange indeed.  Strange as in the arrival of first baseman Kevin Arnold, who has stepped in to start at first base over the last four games and pegged Naha pitching for a .438 average and a homer.  Strange as in #8 hitter Kaz Yamada being nearly unstoppable (to the tune of a .526 average and a .625 OBP.  And strange in that Hiroyuki Masuda, the team’s replacement for stalwart centerfielder Sadatake Sato, has blasted the Shisa staff for a .435 average and three long balls.  But strange, also that the rest of the Lupin arsenal has been silent, and strange that the stalwart pitching staff has given up 8 or more runs in four of the six games.

Cue Watanabe.

The team’s ace won’t have an easy path, though, as he faces Shisa ace, and 29-year-old veteran Masaru Nishikawa (16-7 in the regular season) in a reprise of game 3, which saw Nishikawwa beat Watanabe 10-3.  To extend it further, Watanabe has faced Naha four time recently, and struggled to a 1-2 record while giving up 14 runs in his 21 innings.  “I feel good, though,” Watanabe, who at 24-years of age is quite young, said.  “It will be a fun challenge.”   Of course, while Nishikawa was the game three victor, he has also struggled with Lupin in the recent past, also posting a 1-2 record and giving up 12 runs in his last 21 innings against the Cliff Hangers.

So, who will come out tight?  Who will come out lose?  It’s a hard question.  While Lupin is facing the pressure of a decade of losing teams, the Shisa are struggling to get out of the aura of a half-decade of losing in the Wasei Junkesshou,  The only thing you can say for certain is that the pressure will be intense.

 In the meantime, the Shin Seiki Evas await the victor for the Neo-Tokyo cup.