And hell, she could probably bat cleanup for the Phillies

Of all major professional sports leagues (and soccer), Major League Baseball is probably the one that would most easily allow for the first major professional female player. Baseball requires a whole lot less physical-strength and macho-ness than football, hockey (yes, I know Manon Rheaume), and basketball. Being 6’4″, 240 lbs. doesn’t really matter. The league is riddled with small or out-of-shape players. So if your argument is over physicality, it doesn’t quite jive.

But how would integration even come about? It may have already started. Melissa Mayeux is a 16-year-old French shortstop who “on Sunday became the first female player to be added to Major League Baseball’s international registration list.” That means that, as of July 2, she’ll be eligible to sign with a major league team. Will she? Probably not. Any 16 year old is a long hot to get signed, but this signals a possible change on the horizon, at least according to Phillies pitcher Aaron Harang:

“I don’t know if you can put a date or a timetable on it, but you’ve got to figure at some point, it’s bound to happen. You look at UFC, and they’re talking about Ronda Rousey fighting men, and stuff like that. Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila, had the potential to box against men. At some point, it’s going to eventually happen. There’s always going to be a first for everything.”

And sure, some asshole out there who really hates A League of Their Own is yelling “WOMEN? IN BASEBALL?!” But would they really be hitting any worse than Chase Utley right now?