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Japanese schoolgirl drafted by pro team
Published - Nov 17 2008 12:32PM EST | AP


Eri Yoshida

A 16-year-old schoolgirl is making a pitch to become the first woman to play professional baseball in Japan.

High school student Eri Yoshida was drafted by the Kobe 9 Cruise, a professional team in a new independent Japanese league that starts its first season in April.

"I always dreamed of becoming a professional," Yoshida said at a news conference Monday. "I have only just been picked by the team and haven't achieved anything yet."

Yoshida, a right-hander who is 5 feet and 114 pounds, throws a sidearm knuckleball and wants to emulate Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

Yoshida threw a hitless inning against male batters during a tryout this month and was among 33 players picked in the draft.

http://www.rr.com/view/content/story.cfm...ov=SP_AP_4

IF you can throw a real knuckleball...you can pitch in the bigs. Those things are impossible to hit. Wonder what her fastball clocks in at?

converrl Wrote:IF you can throw a real knuckleball...you can pitch in the bigs. Those things are impossible to hit. Wonder what her fastball clocks in at?

I would be shocked if she breaks 75 (legitimately).

Eastside_J Wrote:

converrl Wrote:IF you can throw a real knuckleball...you can pitch in the bigs. Those things are impossible to hit. Wonder what her fastball clocks in at?

I would be shocked if she breaks 75 (legitimately).

I would be shocked if she breaks 60 (legitimately).