If you do not yet know the name Eri Yoshida listen up closely - Yoshida is the real deal. Eri Yoshida is an 18 year old native of Japan that spent a little time in the Arizona Winter league learning the art of the knuckleball. Did I fail to mention Eri Yoshida is a woman? You can almost hear Tom Hanks crying “Girls can’t play baseball!”, but oh yes - they can.
Yoshida is breaking new ground in professional sports. Sure women have played various levels of professional baseball before - primarily the independent leagues, a few have had a look on a minor league tryout, but none has ever been legitimately considered as a true professional prospect. Seriously - this is not a joke and even a few MLB teams are reportedly at least mildly interested in the prospect of making history - and not just for the potential gate receipts.
Getting real for a second, Yoshida did not tear up the winter league. She posted a 6.19 ERA in 19 innings. Then again she did shut down Team Canada for four innings and nobody has described her as the worst in the league or as a novelty - at least not the people that matter. The grade on Yoshida at this point is that she mostly holds her own against the boys. Her knuckler flutters in around 50mph while her fastball tops out just a hair above 60mph - as high as 63mph on some guns. That isn’t going to blow anyone away, but it doesn’t have to. Knuckleball pitchers are a different breed. They live and die by the most infuriating and possibly un-hittable legal pitch in the game. As Yoda would say - speed matters not young padawan…deception and location…hmmm…that is the knuckleball. Yoda couldn’t even hit a good knuckleball probably.
The sole fact that Yoshida is a knuckleball pitcher sets her apart from every other woman that has had a look from a professional men’s league. Other women have come in with fastballs that topped out in the low 80’s. Some have had a filthy breaking pitch but no fastball. None have had a knuckleball that impresses a master of the pitch like Tim Wakefield of the Boston Red Sox who worked with Yoshida in Arizona.
The straight dope on Yoshida is that contrary to countless rumors she is not 16 years old. She was signed to play professionally by a men’s independent league team at 16 however - Kobe Cruise 9. Initially this was believed to be a publicity stunt, but sending her to Arizona to work with Wakefield was no stunt. Scouts report her knuckleball is no joke. Because she is a knuckleball pitcher her arm suffers minimal wear and tear which increases her value. A knuckleballer can pitch everyday.
The knuckleball also means she does not have to rely on a power pitch. Even when hitters know it is coming, it is nearly impossible to prepare for the pitch aside from deciding whether or not to swing as it cannot accurately be zoned. Former MLB pitcher Al Leiter stated on MLB Tonight he felt if any woman was to make it to the bigs, a knuckleball pitcher would have the best shot. Co-host and former pro Harold Reynolds chimed in that when it comes to the knuckleball, height, weight, speed, and physical sex don't matter.
There is speculation a few NPL teams are prepared to give Yoshida a serious look at making it - she's already the first woman ever drafted by a Japanese professional team as was reported on MLB Tonight. MLB teams are less enthusiastic at this point but pitching is always at a premium and there are so few knuckleballers in the game that some believe she may be worth the gamble. She was offered a contract to come to the U.S. and play for the Chico Outlaws whom are managed by Gary Templeton. Dr. Mike Marshall is their GM - these are guys that know baseball and they think she is for real.
Nobody is overly concerned about her fall league ERA as knuckleballers are either on or off. When they are on everyone grabs some pine. When they are off it is a free-for-all. The sex of the pitcher has nothing to do with that.
Will Yoshida really go pro - as in the NPL or MLB and not just an independent league which is already been there done that territory for women? Nobody can really say yet, but it looks more promising every year. At only 18 years of age she is going to get stronger which will translate to a few extra mph’s on her fastball. Her knuckleball should get better which comes with practice as well - and that is her ticket through door. Most people believe she has the talent right now to get professional hitters out. She would get roughed up some nights, but so does every other pitcher. If she has the talent - and there a believers - the glass ceiling in professional baseball may be about to shatter.