"I think it's best to throw in the place that is most comfortable for me. I'm trying to find out how I can perform well in the place that is most comfortable for me."

Lotte's Humiya Motomae has changed his form to one where he lowers his arms.

When asked what prompted him to lower his arm, he explained, "In Phoenix, I raised my arm and was throwing in the same position as before, but it was difficult to throw for the entire year. I was feeling a bit uneasy, and although it wasn't my last chance, when I decided to take on the challenge this year with that feeling, I didn't want to do it with anxiety about whether I would be able to repeat the same performance there. So I thought I should try to do it in a place where I could perform at a new, higher level, so I lowered my arm from fall practice. During fall practice, I was talking with my coach and we were saying that it's a position that's easy to throw in now and that it might come back eventually, but after trying it in December, I started to see where I could perform well."

"Rather than being motivated to get better, I think it's better to find new ways to improve and find new areas of motivation. Before I got injured, I wasn't pitching like crazy in the first team, so I felt like I should try to find a new position (arm position) and do that, so I've lowered my arm position."

Before having surgery on his left arm, he was looking for a stronger fastball, but now he says, "I want to get the speed of fastball back, so I think fastball is the most important thing. Since I've lowered my arm, I'm currently trying out new things, or rather, various things, so I hope to be able to work on that and be ready for camp."

Before his injury, he took part in voluntary training with Takeshi Wada, who was with Softbank Hawks at the time, but this year he is not participating. He is instead training individually with a specific theme in mind: "Shoulder stability. I don't want to repeat the same thing. Last year I had repeated bouts of pain and difficulty throwing, so I had a hard time getting into games. I'm doing shoulder training that I can do all year round. As I develop a new form, the way I use my body will change slightly, so I'm focusing on that in my voluntary training."

Until now, he's mainly used breaking ball like slider and change-up, but has lowering his arm allowed him to try out new pitches or increase the amount of movement in his pitches?

"The type of pitch I throw hasn't changed, but the amount of movement has changed, so I don't think the type of pitch will change much, just the way I use it will change."

He has lowered his arm and is in the process of creating a new "pitcher, Humiya Motomae." Is there an ideal image for him?

"I want to throw faster than before, and I don't have any particular position I want to aim for. I just want closer closer at zero in the position I'm given. I just want to be able to challenge myself in the game, so I don't have any particular position I want to play."

He returned towards the end of last season, and this season will be his full return to action. "I'm just going to give it my all, thinking of it as my last chance, so I'll make sure I have no regrets. I'm sure there are many decisions to make, but even if people around me say I should have been promoted, I want to do my best so that I don't have any regrets. It would be great if I could get a full contract, but even if I can't, I want to do my best so that I don't have any regrets." Believing in the "decision" and "path" he has made, he will swing his arm this year.

Interview and text by Yuta Iwashita