Eri Yoshida has been drafted by a team called the Cobe 9 Cruise in the new Kansai independent league. She is a knuckleball pitcher and held the men at tryouts hitless in an inning of work. What is also interesting is she throws the knuckleball with a sidearm. professional
I'm sure we'll have her high school stats soon and this is an independent league that I'm sure is looking for a media splash, but could she reach the professional league in Japan?
She says she models herself after Tim Wakefield, but as far as information all I have found is a speed clock that says she throws at 50 mph. Tim Wakefield has an average speed of 65-67 mph. This puts her slow enough that the ball will be harder to control although still dance a lot.
This obviously brings back memories of Manon Rheaume who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. Later GM Phil Esposito admitted it was a publicity stunt to get attention to their expansion team.
I'm sure we'll have her high school stats soon and this is an independent league that I'm sure is looking for a media splash, but could she reach the professional league in Japan?
She says she models herself after Tim Wakefield, but as far as information all I have found is a speed clock that says she throws at 50 mph. Tim Wakefield has an average speed of 65-67 mph. This puts her slow enough that the ball will be harder to control although still dance a lot.
This obviously brings back memories of Manon Rheaume who was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. Later GM Phil Esposito admitted it was a publicity stunt to get attention to their expansion team.
I would expect a knuckleball pitcher at 50 mph would be successful in college and perhaps the lower minors in the US. That would probably keep her at best a scrub or bullpen pitcher in the Japan pro leagues, but I could see the league giving her a shot if she has a above average season in this new league.
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