Freakishly so.

That said, I'm sure there are some women who could easily play in the majors. It'll probably happen some day.

And you don't have to have gigantic arms to be a great pitcher. Just ask Tim Linecum (sp?)

he's one of a kind.

Never say never, but I'd be surprised if there were many that could "easily" play. There aren't that many MLB players period. That makes them a very small slice of the population. They are all better than the vast majority of people out there. Take the best of the best women, and now they have to compete against the best of best of the best of men. Not many "easily" going to succeed at that.

They'll have a card in PGA Tour golf sooner. Wie might actually pull it off.

There are some great women players I've seen that would be competitive in tryouts.

The first woman player will also likely be freakishly large since body mass is a requirement in professional baseball.

... to compete on the PGA. Annika, not a long hitter, shot a respectable 1-under in a PGA event a couple years ago, although she missed the cut. Her playing partners were impressed.

It helps, alot. And you probably won't break the top thirty as a short knocker. But you can make some money if you can knock it stiff with the short irons, and putt well. I don't think it will be that long before some woman accomplishes it.

I played baseball and hockey with boys teams until I was about 12, then went on to womens' hockey and softball. I STILL wish baseball was an option for women, there is absolutely no reason it shouldn't be.

women can compete on a adult scale at 14 years old and there are many examples of that in tennis. Name a single man who has competed at a young age. even Kobe was a skeleton when he entered the NBA. Lebron is a freak as he was almost full developed at 18. Men mature later.

They got embarrassed that a girl was doing so well on the team. It was strange though, I played hockey with those same boys, when they were short, for quite a few years after I left for the womens' team .... there was no problem with those same parents. I guess being covered up, it was alright.

Yes, I realize boys mature later. My point is, young girls shouldn't have to face discrimination from parents, coaches or players when they're as good as the rest of the team.

Little League is co-ed. I played my entire childhood on co-ed teams. They did start to segregate the boys and girls along about high school, though.

even the small baseball players are strong as ox's. My dad played service baseball all through WW2. He entertained the troops. When the war was over he thought about baseball. He just wasn't strong enough.

love watching women's softball. Pitching a softball underhanded at 80+mph is an art all to itself.

What prevents women from hitting a curve ball, slider, or a 90+ mph fast ball?

"I've never seen a woman playing in a MLB game, therefore women are incapable of swinging a bat"

post about women playing ball. I love to watch women softball. This is all I have to say.

You mean the one I already replied to? The one where you claimed that women are incapable of performing at the level for the MLB?

As it happens, I did read that post of yours. I also read your follow up where you gave the most flawed reasoning I've seen all week to support your sexist claim.

Last edited Wed Mar 7, 2012, 04:53 PM - Edit history (1)

I didn't think there was a gender requirement for the MLB, NBA, NHL or NFL. I would expect most leagues would realize a large marketing opportunity exists to the teams that first have female players. Provided that she is not some token female but a player that earned the position on merit.

I think it's more a question of time. Eventually a woman with the right skill-set will be able to fill that role.

On edit

Justine Siegal became the first woman to pitch batting practice in a major league spring training camp
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2011/news/story?id=6144845

There have been several minor league women's players but none of them yet have been good enough to get called up to the majors.

And I do not accept the lame excuse that baseball players are so huge. That's just BS. Baseball is not freaking football where mass is basically all that counts (which is why I never watch football). Baseball is a game of pure strategy, a thinking game where brawn is basically meaningless.

Read Michael Lewis' Moneyball (or watch the flick --- it's a good one).

There are hundreds of women, likely more who have the talent to make the grade to play major league ball. It just hasn't been tried yet. But I would say that it will happen eventually, hopefully.

Let's start with an AL relief pitcher. She doesn't have to bat and when she does it's not a big deal if she doesn't hit --- that's what pinch hitters are for (look up Hank Aguirre's hitting record some time). A good fielder would make a great shortstop who tend to be on the small side. Consider Luis Aparicio who was a wiry 5' 9" and was an All Star 13 times and golden glove 9 times, to say nothing about 1956 rookie of the year. Luis was legendary for being small, but he proved that you don't need to be big to play ball. Plus his ML career spanned 17 years.

We need a forward thinking GM like Branch Rickey who will break the gender barrier in pro baseball.

One thing's for sure. It would make the game a lot of fun for everybody.

after WWII, but weren't allowed.

You guys are making me miss my soccer days. *sighs*

GT has a very high level program and many major league ball players come out of GT. He is "wiry" He was 5'9 and 180 lbs and is considered a "spray hitter". Find me all the women who are 5"9 180lbs. He hit a golf ball 300 yds.
The strength is incredible in these guys. I don't think you realize it until you see them.

Mind you I LIKE WNBA games, the handful of times i've seen one, because there's more team work.
but it's like women's soccer and the rest of the women's leagues... lack of major funding!

The WNBA didn't die because no one was going to the games, or watching them on TV, the big outfits simply decided they didn't want to carry them... much like what happens all the time to liberal radio.

there's a MARKET, a huge one, but the GUYS at the top don't want to give it a REAL chance, for fear of "gasp" encouraging deviant thinking and aspirations!!!

as far as co-ed... I don't see that happening until men are taught to stop treating women like wilting flowers... something I don't see ever happening for many, and arguably sexist reasons (on both sides).

But i'd go to a womens baseball game. would probably enjoy it as much a men's baseball.

Never been a huge baseball fan anyways.

Women's football is something I'd LOVE to see. Always loved playing it myself... And I was taught how to throw. My cousin Bubba (There's one in every southern family, I swear...) mentioned that I don't throw like a girl. Well... I think he mentioned that because I almost broke a car's window a bit far back. (Half a field back?) It was less football than a "Save the cars!" game where my brother (who used to be a soccer goalie) would try to keep the whole window breaking thing from happening.

After the enlightenment that I could throw a football after all those years of kiddie football on thanksgiving, I woke up crippled with back pain. Lovely.