12/21/24
April 11, 2010
Japanese Female Knuckleball Pitcher Joins Minor League Team: Eri Yoshida, a female knuckleball pitcher from Japan, has signed a contract with the minor league Chico Outlaws and could become the first female pro since Ila Borders. Yoshida, 18, became Japan's first female pro baseball player last year, making 11 appearances with the Kobe Cruise 9. She learned the knuckler by watching video of Boston Rex Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield.
5 ' and 114 pounds? That has to be an odd sight for the batter.
posted by dviking at 10:27 PM on April 11, 2010
I've always felt that the first female major league player will be a knuckleball pitcher; it's part of the magic of the pitch is that if you can master it (no small feat) it takes basically no innate athleticism, size, strength or speed to be successful. Sure, after that we'll probably see an Ichiro-like hitter playing 2nd, but I think the first female MLB player will be a knuckleball pitcher.
As awful as it probably will be for the pioneer who breaks that barrier, I'd like to see that day come, and soon.
posted by hincandenza at 12:08 AM on April 12, 2010
Saw video of her on NESN last week. She didn't learn her delivery from Wakefield: it's a nasty-looking sidearm thing, which must add to the fun for batters.