Shohei Ohtani has been under media scrutiny since high school. Throwing 100 mph as a teenager and attempting to become a two-way professional naturally drew attention. After joining the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, that attention only intensified.
Public interest was inevitable.
But for Ohtani, it was sometimes a burden.
In his second professional season, he confided in head coach Eijiro Ai:
“I respond to interviews sincerely. But I don’t like being watched during my individual workouts in the indoor facility after team practice.”
The team quickly adjusted media access.
Why did this matter so much to him?
Because Ohtani treats practice as a laboratory.
When he has an idea, he tests it immediately. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it fails. According to coach Ai, there were even occasions when Ohtani intentionally practiced hitting weak ground balls — rehearsing failure as part of refinement.
These experiments are essential to growth.
But when every attempt is observed and potentially reported, experimentation becomes risky. A failed adjustment might be labeled as “Ohtani struggling.” An unconventional drill might spark speculation.
Ohtani wanted the freedom to test ideas without distraction — to fail privately so he could succeed publicly.
He was never avoiding responsibility.
He was protecting the space required for innovation.
Great performance often requires unseen work.
And sometimes, that work needs privacy.
Source
This quote comes from a Japanese magazine published in Japan and is not currently available in English.
Number 1099, p.23