Female Drafted for Mens League in Japan

By Miss Cellania in Sports on Nov 17, 2008 at 11:16 am

Eri Yoshida is a 16-year-old schoolgirl, but she’s been drafted to play professional baseball in a Japanese mens league! The 5-foot-tall pitcher will be the first female to play alongside men in Japan next spring when a new league is launched.

“I never dreamed of getting drafted,” Yoshida told reporters Monday, a day after she was selected to play for the Kobe 9 Cruise.

“I have only just been picked by the team and have not achieved anything,” she said. “I want to play as a pro eventually in a higher league.”

Link -Thanks, Geekazoid!

(image credit: AFP)

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Rocky Rook
Nov 17th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Is she going to pitch underhand?
barbara
Nov 17th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
That is just nice =]
RubenCovex
Nov 17th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
As long as she produces the outs, more power to her
cheechman85
Nov 17th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
A knuckle ball is one of the hardest pitches to hit but it is also one of the hardest pitches to pitch. So, I assume this is why she was hired. Must be an amazing knuckle ball…not only is she the first woman but she’s only 16.
silentwatcher24
Nov 17th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
wow… good for her.
JH
Nov 17th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Good for her. People might say this is all a publicity stunt – it might be, but her being a knuckleball pitcher, her chance of success is quite high in my opinion. my thoughts http://jib-sports-culture.blogspot.com/2008/11/16-year-old-girl-drafte d-by-pro.html
luvpumpkns
Nov 18th, 2008 at 11:55 am
like i’ve been telling men for years, after watching olympic level softball, it is more than possible for a woman to play in the MLB–provided she is a pitcher in the american league. i can see why their batting might not be desirable for a team, but those gals can pitch–and trust me, if you can throw a ball underhanded at over 90 mph, you can throw it equally fast overhanded.

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