▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁Before ▁the ▁All - Star ▁Game , ▁La R oc ca ▁said ▁" I ▁thought ▁that ▁there ▁would ▁be ▁no ▁[ hit ▁by ▁pitch es ] ▁in ▁the ▁All - Star ▁game ", ▁but ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁ball ▁from ▁Koh aru ▁U eh ara ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁bat . ▁Because ▁there ▁was ▁little ▁damage , ▁the ▁pitch er ▁spread ▁both ▁hands ▁to ▁appeal ▁for ▁health . ▁At ▁the ▁moment ▁when ▁he ▁received ▁the ▁ 2 5 th ▁H B P ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁from ▁Sh ib u ya ▁Na oy uki ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 7 ▁against ▁L otte ▁Mar ines , ▁when ▁he ▁passed ▁the ▁Japanese ▁record ▁set ▁by ▁Y oshi y uki ▁I w am oto , ▁La R oc ca ▁w aved ▁hands ▁towards ▁the ▁audience ▁and ▁also ▁bow ed . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁same ▁year ' s ▁sal ary ▁neg ot iation , ▁it ▁turned ▁out ▁that ▁La R oc ca ▁was ▁hoping ▁for ▁an ▁" un pre ced ented " ▁in cent ive ▁at ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁H B P ▁". ▁Among ▁the ▁increase ▁in ▁annual ▁sal ary , ▁" tre at ment ▁exp enses " ▁of ▁inj uries ▁caused ▁by ▁H B P ▁were ▁included . ▁ ▁Personal ▁and ▁Char ity ▁Work ▁ ▁La R oc ca ▁was ▁a ▁player ▁who ▁cher ished ▁ex changes ▁with ▁fans . ▁ ▁He ▁studied ▁Japanese ▁at ▁a ▁Japanese ▁school ▁near ▁his ▁home ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁is ▁still ▁popular ▁with ▁N