Wladimir Balentien - Fantasy News & Updates
Wladimir Balentien - Fantasy News & Updates
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Gomes was a pleasant surprise for the Reds, providing a cheap source of power amid a slew of injuries. That said, it remains to be seen whether he can handle right-handers on a regular basis, not to mention earn anywhere near as much playing time in a crowded Reds outfield. He'll have to compete with at least Chris Dickerson, Laynce Nix and Wladimir Balantien in left field.
A sprained finger has kept Balentien off the diamond for much of the past week as the 25-year-old last smacked a hit and crossed home back on Sept. 9. With Jay Bruce back in the outfield mix and Jonny Gomes and Drew Stubbs leaving the yard with alarming frequency, Balentien has an uphill battle ahead of him as far as playing time in the season's final month is concerned -- a fact that severely limits his fantasy value.
McDonald has made two consecutive starts in right field in place of the hobbled Wladimir Balentien (finger), and although he should continue to see action there for the time being, the 30-year-old vet's lackluster offensive attack prevent him from helping out even those in 12-team NL-only leagues.
Balentien didn't look right to Reds skipper Dusty Baker while going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in Thursday's loss at Colorado. "He was trying to be a hero," Baker said. "I knew something was wrong when they were throwing fastballs by him." Darnell McDonald made the start in right field in Balentien's absence.
Evidently, the injury isn't as bad as it sounds, since Nix expects to return soon. "I'll be fine in a couple of days. I hope to play by Monday or Tuesday," Nix said. "I had collision three years ago, which is what it stemmed from." Wladimir Balentien started in left field Saturday while Jonny Gomes roamed right field.
Dickerson has been on the DL with a torn right rotator cuff since July 27 after he attempted a diving catch in Chicago. In four rehab games with Louisville, he was 3-for-12 with one RBI. With no Reds outfielder guaranteed regular playing time, a steady dose of playing time can be expected for Dickerson. Jonny Gomes, Willy Taveras and Wladamir Balentien have been seeing the most starting time in left, center and right field, respectively.
Balentien remains firmly in control offensively, hitting .500 (8-for-16) with five RBIs over his last five games. Manager Dusty Baker seems intent on giving Balentien the proper amount of playing time to fulfill the potential he showed in small doses during his Mariners career.
Balentien has back-to-back multi-hit performances for his new squad. The Reds have carved out a starting role for the outfielder, giving him four straight starting nods in at the corner spots, three of which have come in right field.
Balentien, who was designated for assignment Sunday, hit .213 with four home runs and 13 RBIs for the Mariners this season. The 25-year-old was unable to establish himself as the everyday left fielder after Endy Chavez went down with a knee injury. He'll likely compete with Chris Dickerson and Jonny Gomes for playing time in right field for the Reds. Manuel, 26, had a 2.70 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 26 2/3 Triple-A innings this season and tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in three games for the Reds. He’ll report to Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate but has a strong chance of returning to the Majors later this year.
Balentien just couldn't get it going this year even as Endy Chavez's season-ending knee injury opened up playing time for him. He hit .213 -- a slim increase on his .202 mark in '08 -- with four homers and 13 RBIs in 56 games, 38 of which were starts. Seattle has 10 days to trade, release or outright Balentien to the Minors. Saunders has shown crisp hitting for Tacoma this year, producing a .310 batting average with 15 doubles, 13 home runs and 32 RBIs in 64 contests.
Gutierrez, who's batting .294 with 12 home runs and 42 RBIs, suffered contusions on his knee and elbow in the collision. Wladimir Balentien got the start in left with Ryan Langerhans shifting to center for Thursday's matchup with the Tigers.
With Ryan Langerhans starting regularly in left field, Balentien doesn't have a hit in 14 at-bats since June 25. It's long past time for owners to cut bait in nearly all leagues.
Langerhans, acquired from the Nationals last Sunday for Minor League infielder Mike Morse, was 5-for-23 against left-handers last season and is a better defensive player than Balentien. "The biggest reason [for starting Langerhans] was to get him acclimated to the club," manager Don Wakamatsu said before Thursday night's game. "Historically, his numbers against right-handers and left-handers are pretty even." The Mariners acquired Langerhans for defensive purposes, but he offers little to no offensive production.
Balentien can count on much more playing time now that Endy Chavez is out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Manager Don Wakamatsu explained that the Mariners would give Balentien a chance to show his potential on an everyday basis in left field. So far, so good.
Chavez sustained the injury after colliding with Yuniesky Betancourt in shallow left field Friday. Chavez is expected to have surgery once the swelling subsides, and he could be set for a six-month absence. Wladimir Balentien will be the main beneficiary of playing time, as the 24-year-old is expected to get a chance to prove himself after hitting just .223 so far. Ken Griffey could see more time in the outfield and Ronny Cedeno will become the backup center fielder.
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