- Wladimir Balentien
Infobox MLB player
width = 150px
name=Wladimir Balentien
position=Outfielder
team=Seattle Mariners
number=50
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date and age|1984|7|2
birthplace=city-state|Willemstad|Netherlands Antilles
debutdate=September 4
debutyear=2007
debutteam=Seattle Mariners
statyear=2008 season
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.207
stat2label=Home run s
stat2value=8
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=28
teams=
*Seattle Mariners (by|2007-present)Wladimir Ramon Balentien (born
July 2 ,1984 inWillemstad, Netherlands Antilles ) is aMajor League Baseball outfielder for theSeattle Mariners . He resides inWillemstad, Curaçao with his daughter Jenilee.Balentien was signed as an undrafted
free agent by the Mariners in by|2000. He spent his first five seasons in the minor leagues, playing for theArizona League Mariners ,Wisconsin Timber Rattlers ,Inland Empire 66ers ,San Antonio Missions , andTacoma Rainiers , before being called up in September mlby|2007.Balentien represented the
Netherlands at the2004 Summer Olympics .In 2007, Balentien was selected to the
All-Star Futures Game inSan Francisco , a result of his .328batting average , 20home run s, and 66runs batted in by that point. He was called up to the Mariners onSeptember 4 , 2007, and played that very night against theNew York Yankees atYankee Stadium . Balentien pinch-hit forJose Guillen in the 8th inning, and hit a two-run double in his first major leagueat-bat .Balentien was invited to
spring training with the Mariners in mlby|2008 and signed a one-year deal with the team. However, the starting job inright field went toBrad Wilkerson , and Balentien was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma onMarch 24 . When Wilkerson andfirst baseman Greg Norton were designated for assignment onApril 30 , Wladimir and Rainiers teammateJeff 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.External links
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* [http://www.kffl.com/player/11134/mlb KFFL.com player page]
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