A New Team Player

http://www.timeforkids.com/TFK/kids/news/story/0,28277,1861151,00.html
A New Team Player
Sixteen-year-old pitcher Eri Yoshida graduates to Japan's pro league
By Kathy Satterfield

Eri Yoshida has thrown a curveball at the game of baseball in Japan. Or, to be more accurate, she has thrown a knuckleball. The 16-year-old pitcher is Japan's first female professional baseball player. The pro team, Kobe 9 Cruise, drafted Yoshida last week. The team is part of the new Japanese League that starts its first season in April.

A knuckleball pitch dips, dives and sometimes moves from side to side. It is very difficult to throw and to hit. Not many pitchers in the major leagues can throw the unusual, sidearm pitch. But for those that can, a strikeout is likely. Most batters have a hard time hitting a ball with such an unpredictable path.
Give This Girl A Hand!
Yoshida's unusual pitch has landed her in a very unusual position. Japanese women don't normally get the chance to play on anything other than softball or amateur baseball teams. "I'm really happy I stuck with baseball," Yoshida said at a press conference. "I want to pitch against men."
Some people think the league may have drafted Yoshida to gain publicity for choosing a woman. But in a nation that loves baseball, Yoshida's spot on the team could encourage a new generation of female players. Already, their numbers have soared in the 10 years since little league opened the playing field to girls.
Learning to Throw
Yoshida started playing baseball when she was a second grader, joining neighborhood games with her older brother and his friends. She played first base on a boys� team in junior high school. She currently plays for a private team, not her high school team.
The knuckleball caught Yoshida's attention after her father showed her a video of Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield. Wakefield is one of only a handful of pro players in the U.S. to throw a knuckleball. "Hope I can see her pitch one day," Wakefield said in a text message after learning about Yoshida. "I'm honored. I wish her the best of luck."

Max-Eri Yoshida is a good pitcher in Japan’s professional league. She is one of the players in the new pro team. She can throw knuckle balls that the hitter can’t hit the ball. Yoshida has an unusual position because most girls don’t play baseball, only softball and amateur ball. Since girls can play the professional league, many great players join in the teams. 16-year old Eri Yoshida’s appearance in the professional league can cause a new generation of girls in the team.