When people think about growth, they often imagine improvement in simple terms.

Running faster.

Throwing harder.

Producing more results.

In sports—and even in ordinary work—progress is frequently measured through speed, power, or volume.

Shohei Ohtani sees growth differently.

During his fourth season with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Ohtani reached what many considered the peak of his career in Japan. The year before, he had won the pitching Triple Crown. In 2016, he helped lead the Fighters to a Japan Series championship, earned both pitching and batting Best Nine honors, and was named Pacific League MVP.

At the time, he was overpowering opponents with blazing fastballs that regularly reached 160 km/h (about 100 mph).

Yet when asked in a conversation about the long-term future of his pitching—particularly the reality that velocity often declines as players age—Ohtani gave a thoughtful response.

“Of course, it would be ideal if my velocity keeps increasing,” he said.

“But if someday my velocity drops, and I can say, ‘I learned to do this instead,’ or ‘I gained this skill in exchange,’ I would still consider that growth.”

For many athletes, losing a physical advantage feels like decline.

For Ohtani, it can also be transformation.

A pitcher might lose raw speed but gain better command.

A hitter might lose bat speed but develop sharper instincts.

Growth does not always mean becoming stronger in the same way.

Sometimes it means becoming different—and wiser.

In that sense, development is not a straight line upward.

It is an evolution.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Kadokawa Special Edition: Shohei Ohtani Feature, p.176