Three years ago Wladimir Balentien departed Major League Baseball to hone his skills playing in Japan. For the most part history has shown that to be a one way trip. Yet Balentien may be putting up the numbers to entice inquiries from MLB executives for him to make a return trip over the Pacific.
The outfielder had two seasons of MLB experience plus a few games in another as he played with the Seattle Mariners and Cincinnati Reds. A a minor league player in the Mariners system he displayed good power and speed potential with indications he could be a 20/20 player. His best stretch was after being traded to the Reds mid-season in 2009 when he hit .264/.352/.427 with 3 HR, 11 RBI, 12 R, 1 SB in 40 games. Yet the Reds didn't have a spot in their outfield in 2010 and he spent the season at Triple A hitting .282/.337/.536 with 25 HR, 78 RBI, 71 R, 12 SB in 116 games.
The opportunity presented itself to sign with the Yakult Swallows in Japan and Balentien jumped at the chance and has continued to improve each season. He started in 2011 hitting .228/.314/.469 with 31 HR, 76 RBI, 63 R, 3 SB in 140 games. The next season he improved on that hitting .272/.386/.572 with 31 HR, 81 RBI, 58 R, 1 SB in 106 games. This season he took it to a new level hitting .330/.445/.779 with 60 HR, 131 RBI, 94 R, 0 SB in 130 games. Balentien is now holds the record for home runs in a single season in Japan.
Those sort of results must have MLB executives drooling and mulling over how to get him on their roster. He still has many good years ahead after turning 29 on July 2nd. Hideki Matsui was one player that grew up playing in Japan and made the jump to the MLB at age 29 after his career best 50 HR with the Yomiuri Giants in 2002. The Cuban pipeline has been providing some power bats in recent years with Yoenis Cespedes, Yasiel Puig and the most recent signee Jose Abreu. It will be interesting to see what develops this off season with Balentien.
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