#individual vs team

Yep, I’ll put them under spoilers, but I’ve been ruminating on Mei’s observations last chapter.

Of course it’s interesting to me that Mei picks out Eijun and Miyuki working together to try and bring him down. But I think he’s maybe…wrong. 

I don’t think Eijun and Miyuki alone are trying to bring down Mei. I think the whole Seidou team are working together to try and bring down the whole Inajitsu team. 

There’s been a lot of connection in this game. Furuya gave up the mound to Eijun without complaint, just as one example. They all understand that the rival here is Inajitsu, not each other. I don’t ever feel like Inajitsu play to connect with each other, or really build momentum. They all play to show off. So I can understand Mei’s interpretation, I’m just not convinced he’s right about it. 

The only Inajitsu player I think who understands ‘team’ is Itsuki. It’s interesting because it’s that fact which means Mei can do what he does. 

Next week is the Inajitsu battery vs Miyuki, according to the end note. So it will go to Miyuki’s at-bat. But I wonder if it’s that simple. I don’t really feel like Inajitsu’s players talk tactics in the dugout in the way Seidou do. (Even at the Tokyo senbatsu, it was Miyuki who was giving out tactics in the dugout, so). So I think it might be Inajitsu battery vs Miyuki, but I won’t rule out what Miyuki’s already taken on board from watching Mei and the others playing as individuals. I think it will depend a lot on whether Itsuki can hold things together.