Ok, this manga?...Let me tell you, I hate the beginning chapters... not because the story sucked or the characters were lame...but because the plot setup was poorly done and didn't do justice to the latter volumes. The concept is good, but the mangaka didn't spend enough time building the story and developing the characters in the first volume. Events unfolded too quickly and it was all too dramatic for such a short length of time, making it difficult to really care, or to be affected by what was happening. For instance, Hanagata was a originally a pitcher... but then in a matter of just a few panels, he decides to be a batter?...er... what the heck? Where was the build up to that decision? How come he can decide that so suddenly after spending so much time planning to make a come back as a pitcher (and which we just read about a few pages before)? And we'd only just met him. So, how are we suppose to care about all that? This is where those first introductory chapters failed. I love the whole pitcher-turn-batter concept...but please, make that transition a bit more meaningful, would you?

That said... I am glad I continued reading, because after that rather mediocre first volume...the story really picks up, and it gets really good, especially after they start playing in matches. So give this manga a chance if... like me... you read the first volume and thought eh, it not that special. Because it is.