Wladimir Balentien
Encyclopedia
Wladimir Ramon Balentien (ˈvlaːdɪmɪr baːlənˈtin; born July 2, 1984 in Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles
) is a Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder
with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
.
by the Mariners in . He spent his first five professional seasons in the minor leagues, playing for the Arizona League Mariners, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
, Inland Empire 66ers, San Antonio Missions
, and Tacoma Rainiers
, before being called up in September .
In 2007, Balentien was selected to the All-Star Futures Game
in San Francisco, a result of his .328 batting average
, 20 home run
s, and 66 runs batted in by that point. He was called up to the Mariners on September 4, 2007, and played that very night against the New York Yankees
at Yankee Stadium
. Balentien pinch-hit
for José Guillén
in the 8th inning, and hit a two-run double
in his first major league at-bat.
Balentien was invited to spring training
with the Mariners in and signed a one-year deal with the team. However, the starting job in right field went to Brad Wilkerson
, and Balentien was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on March 24. When Wilkerson and first baseman
Greg Norton were designated for assignment on April 30, Wladimir and Rainiers teammate Jeff Clement
were called up to the big leagues for a game in Cleveland against the Indians
.
Facing Indians starter
Cliff Lee
in the top of the 7th inning, Balentien hit a three-run homer over the right field fence to end Lee's streak of 27 scoreless innings pitched. His homer was one of only 12 given up by Lee in 2008.
On July 25, 2009, Balentien was designated for assignment by the Mariners after struggling to make consistent contact. He hit .213 with 4 home runs and 13 RBIs in 155 at bats to that point in the season. Michael Saunders
was called up to take his place on the big league roster.
for reliever Robert Manuel
. In his final game with the Reds against Pittsburgh Pirates on October 3, Balentien hit the longest home run of that major league season, midway up the upper deck in left field with an estimated distance of 500 feet.
in Japan.
Netherlands Antilles
The Netherlands Antilles , also referred to informally as the Dutch Antilles, was an autonomous Caribbean country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, consisting of two groups of islands in the Lesser Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao , in Leeward Antilles just off the Venezuelan coast; and Sint...
) is a Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with the Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Tokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
.
Seattle Mariners
Balentien was signed as an undrafted free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by the Mariners in . He spent his first five professional seasons in the minor leagues, playing for the Arizona League Mariners, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are a minor league baseball team of the Midwest League, and the Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Grand Chute, Wisconsin, and are named for timber rattlesnakes. The team plays its home games at Time Warner Cable Field at Fox Cities Stadium...
, Inland Empire 66ers, San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
, and Tacoma Rainiers
Tacoma Rainiers
The Tacoma Rainiers are a minor league baseball team that plays in the Pacific Coast League , and are the Triple-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners...
, before being called up in September .
In 2007, Balentien was selected to the All-Star Futures Game
All-Star Futures Game
The All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
in San Francisco, a result of his .328 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 20 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, and 66 runs batted in by that point. He was called up to the Mariners on September 4, 2007, and played that very night against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
. Balentien pinch-hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for José Guillén
José Guillén
José Manuel Guillén |San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic]]) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. A prototypical league journeyman, the Giants were the tenth team for which Guillén has played since his major league debut in 1997....
in the 8th inning, and hit a two-run double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in his first major league at-bat.
Balentien was invited to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Mariners in and signed a one-year deal with the team. However, the starting job in right field went to Brad Wilkerson
Brad Wilkerson
Stephen Bradley "Brad" Wilkerson is a former American college and professional baseball player who was an outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball for eight seasons in the 2000s. Wilkerson played college baseball for the University of Florida, and was selected by the Montreal Expos...
, and Balentien was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma on March 24. When Wilkerson and first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Greg Norton were designated for assignment on April 30, Wladimir and Rainiers teammate Jeff Clement
Jeff Clement
Jeffrey Burton Clement is a Major League Baseball first baseman who is currently in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization. Clement was the Seattle Mariners' first round draft pick in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft.-Amateur career:Clement was born and raised in Marshalltown, Iowa...
were called up to the big leagues for a game in Cleveland against the Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
Facing Indians starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Cliff Lee
Cliff Lee
Clifton Phifer "Cliff" Lee is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee has also played for the Cleveland Indians, the Seattle Mariners, and the Texas Rangers....
in the top of the 7th inning, Balentien hit a three-run homer over the right field fence to end Lee's streak of 27 scoreless innings pitched. His homer was one of only 12 given up by Lee in 2008.
On July 25, 2009, Balentien was designated for assignment by the Mariners after struggling to make consistent contact. He hit .213 with 4 home runs and 13 RBIs in 155 at bats to that point in the season. Michael Saunders
Michael Saunders
Michael Edward Saunders is a Canadian Major League Baseball left fielder for the Seattle Mariners. He is a left-handed hitting, right-handed throwing outfielder...
was called up to take his place on the big league roster.
Cincinnati Reds
On July 29, 2009 the Mariners traded Balentien to the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for reliever Robert Manuel
Robert Manuel (baseball)
Robert Mehmet Manuel is a professional baseball relief pitcher who is currently a member of the St. Paul Saints. He has pitched parts of two seasons in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox....
. In his final game with the Reds against Pittsburgh Pirates on October 3, Balentien hit the longest home run of that major league season, midway up the upper deck in left field with an estimated distance of 500 feet.
Nippon Baseball League
It was reported on November 16, 2010 that Balentien signed with the Tokyo Yakult SwallowsTokyo Yakult Swallows
is a professional baseball team in Japan's Central League.The Swallows are named after their corporate owners, the Yakult Corporation. From 1950 to 1965, the team was owned by the former Japanese National Railways and called the Kokutetsu Swallows; the team was then owned by the newspaper Sankei...
in Japan.