Balentien’s Hot Start

» 21 May 2011 » In nichibei, npb »

The best NPB newcomer this season has been, without a doubt. Yakult’s Wladimir Balentien. Through 117 plate appearances, he’s got a slash line of .367/.462/.827 and leads Japan with 13 home runs. It’s not unusual for foreign players to start strong in Japan, but Balentien’s status as a former top prospect, his relatively young age (27 in July) and his massive power numbers make him an interesting case to study.

First I grabbed the opponent and pitch data for the 13 home runs he’s hit so far:

game Pitcher Pitch Type Velocity (kmph)
20110416 Takayuki Makka curve 0
20110421 Yudai Kawai fastball 131
20110423 Dennis Sarfate slider 133
20110427 Kentaro Nishimura shuuto 145
20110427 Tetsuya Utsumi fastball 142
20110428 Hirokazu Sawamura curve 122
20110501 Jason Standridge fastball 0
20110501 Shinobu Fukuhara fastball 138
20110503 Souma Yamauchi fastball 135
20110513 Shintaro Ejiri fastball 145
20110513 Kota Suda slider 129
20110513 Kota Suda curve 105
20110514 Kentaro Takasaki slider 130

Nothing too surprising here — a lot of unimpressive fastballs, and some sliders and curves which I’ll assume were of the hanging variety. Home runs off Yokohama pitchers account for a big chunk of his power production. What I don’t see in this list is a lot of Japan’s top caliber pitchers, with the possible exception of Sawamura. The power is real, but it’s reasonable to expect it to even out as Balentien faces more of Japan’s top competition.

Balentien entered 2011 with a bit of a reputation for struggling against breaking pitches. That hasn’t really been the case so far:

Pitch Result count
changeup strike looking 1
curve strike looking 6
fastball strike looking 39
forkball strike looking 2
shuuto strike looking 2
slider strike looking 10
changeup strike swinging 3
curve strike swinging 1
cut fastball strike swinging 1
fastball strike swinging 19
forkball strike swinging 7
shuuto strike swinging 4
sinker strike swinging 1
slider strike swinging 29

To put this into context, Balentien has seen 471 pitches so far. It does appear that he does have a little bit of issue with sliders. I dug a little further into the data and found that he seems to struggle with Shun Tohno, one of the better slider guys in the Central League.

Lastly, the guys at Tsubamegun made this observation:

Balentien has monster numbers, but he needs to watch [Josh] Whitesell work a count, take notes, and stop getting sucked into first-pitches in the strike zone. The results are bad more often than not.

The Tsubamegun guys have seen far more of Balentien than I ever have, so I’d thought I’d check their assertion against the data. Here’s what Balentien has done on the first pitch of each of his 117 plate appearances, aggregated by result:

result count
ball 51
flyout 6
foul 11
groundout 1
home run 6
linedrive single 3
strike looking 22
strike swinging 17

73 takes; 44 swings, 27 resulting in contact. The six home runs jump out — if you took away his other seven homers and he just had these six, he would still be tied for second in the Central League in bombs. The three line drive hits aren’t too shabby either, so we have a total of nine hits and seven outs.

Balentien is averaging a solid four pitches per plate appearance, so he’s not being unduly aggressive. To the extent that Balentien can identify hittable breaking pitches and weak first-pitch fastballs, I say keep on hacking.

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  1. Patrick
    Michael Westbay
    22/05/2011 at 6:41 am Permalink

    Here’s a quick run down on how Banentien is doing against all of the pitchers he’s faced so far this season:
    Team Throws AB H 2B 3B HR TB BB HBP K SH SF AVG OBP SLG

    vs Kawai, Yudai CHU L 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Asao, Takuya CHU R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Hirai, Masafumi CHU R 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Iwata, Shinji CHU R 3 3 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.333
    vs Nakata, Kenichi CHU R 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Suzuki, Yoshihiro CHU R 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .333
    vs Yamauchi, Souma CHU R 2 2 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.500
    vs Yoshimi, Kazuki CHU R 5 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 .200 .333 .200

    vs Utsumi, Tetsuya YOM L 3 2 0 0 1 5 2 0 0 0 0 .667 .800 1.667
    vs Albaladejo, Jonathan YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Kubo, Yuya YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Nishimura, Kentaro YOM R 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 4.000
    vs Ochi, Daisuke YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Romero, Levi YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Sawamura, Hirokazu YOM R 2 1 0 0 1 4 1 0 1 0 1 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Tohno, Shun YOM R 6 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 .167 .167 .333

    vs Fukuhara, Shinobu HAN R 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 4.000
    vs Kobayashi, Hiroyuki HAN R 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 1.000 .000
    vs Kubo, Yasutomo HAN R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Messenger, Randy HAN R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Standridge, Jason HAN R 2 1 0 0 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 .500 .667 2.000

    vs Iwami, Yuki HIR L 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 1.000 .000
    vs Fukui, Yuya HIR R 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 .000 .667 .000
    vs Imamura, Takeru HIR R 4 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 .250 .400 .250
    vs Maeda, Kenta HIR R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Nakata, Ren HIR R 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 .333 .333 .667
    vs Sarfate, Dennis HIR R 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Schultz, Mike HIR R 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000
    vs Toyoda, Kiyoshi HIR R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Ueno, Hirofumi HIR R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Umetsu, Tomohiro HIR R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .333 .000

    vs Makka, Takayuki YOK L 2 2 0 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.500
    vs Yamamoto, Shogo YOK L 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .333 .333 .333
    vs Ejiri, Shintaro YOK R 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Hamilton, Clayton YOK R 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 1.000
    vs Miura, Daisuke YOK R 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000
    vs Ohnuma, Koji YOK R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Ohta, Atori YOK R 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500
    vs Sanada, Hiroki YOK R 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 1.000
    vs Suda, Kota YOK R 3 2 0 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 .667 .667 2.667
    vs Takasaki, Kentaro YOK R 3 2 0 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 .667 .750 1.667

    vs Takeda, Masaru NIP L 3 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .667 .667 .667
    vs Darvish, Yu NIP R 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .667
    vs Takeda, Hisashi NIP R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Tanimoto, Keisuke NIP R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000

    vs Shiomi, Takahiro RAK L 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Aoyama, Koji RAK R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Tanaka, Masahiro RAK R 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .250 .250 .250

    vs Right – – 83 28 6 0 10 64 12 1 18 0 1 .337 .423 .771
    vs Left 15 8 0 0 3 17 5 0 2 0 0 .533 .650 1.133

    vs All Above – – 98 36 6 0 13 81 17 1 20 0 1 .367 .462 .827

    Who do you consider the top caliber players?

  2. Patrick
    Michael Westbay
    22/05/2011 at 6:44 am Permalink

    Here’s a quick run down on how Banentien is doing against all of the pitchers he’s faced so far this season:


    Team Throws AB H 2B 3B HR TB BB HBP K SH SF AVG OBP SLG

    vs Kawai, Yudai CHU L 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Asao, Takuya CHU R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Hirai, Masafumi CHU R 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Iwata, Shinji CHU R 3 3 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.333
    vs Nakata, Kenichi CHU R 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Suzuki, Yoshihiro CHU R 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .333
    vs Yamauchi, Souma CHU R 2 2 0 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.500
    vs Yoshimi, Kazuki CHU R 5 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 .200 .333 .200

    vs Utsumi, Tetsuya YOM L 3 2 0 0 1 5 2 0 0 0 0 .667 .800 1.667
    vs Albaladejo, Jonathan YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Kubo, Yuya YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Nishimura, Kentaro YOM R 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 4.000
    vs Ochi, Daisuke YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Romero, Levi YOM R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Sawamura, Hirokazu YOM R 2 1 0 0 1 4 1 0 1 0 1 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Tohno, Shun YOM R 6 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 4 0 0 .167 .167 .333

    vs Fukuhara, Shinobu HAN R 1 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 4.000
    vs Kobayashi, Hiroyuki HAN R 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 1.000 .000
    vs Kubo, Yasutomo HAN R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Messenger, Randy HAN R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Standridge, Jason HAN R 2 1 0 0 1 4 1 0 0 0 0 .500 .667 2.000

    vs Iwami, Yuki HIR L 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 .000 1.000 .000
    vs Fukui, Yuya HIR R 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 .000 .667 .000
    vs Imamura, Takeru HIR R 4 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 .250 .400 .250
    vs Maeda, Kenta HIR R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Nakata, Ren HIR R 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 .333 .333 .667
    vs Sarfate, Dennis HIR R 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 1 0 0 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Schultz, Mike HIR R 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000
    vs Toyoda, Kiyoshi HIR R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Ueno, Hirofumi HIR R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Umetsu, Tomohiro HIR R 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .333 .000

    vs Makka, Takayuki YOK L 2 2 0 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 2.500
    vs Yamamoto, Shogo YOK L 3 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 .333 .333 .333
    vs Ejiri, Shintaro YOK R 2 1 0 0 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 2.000
    vs Hamilton, Clayton YOK R 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 1.000
    vs Miura, Daisuke YOK R 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1.000 1.000 1.000
    vs Ohnuma, Koji YOK R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Ohta, Atori YOK R 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 .500
    vs Sanada, Hiroki YOK R 2 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .500 .500 1.000
    vs Suda, Kota YOK R 3 2 0 0 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 .667 .667 2.667
    vs Takasaki, Kentaro YOK R 3 2 0 0 1 5 1 0 0 0 0 .667 .750 1.667

    vs Takeda, Masaru NIP L 3 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .667 .667 .667
    vs Darvish, Yu NIP R 3 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 .333 .333 .667
    vs Takeda, Hisashi NIP R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Tanimoto, Keisuke NIP R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000

    vs Shiomi, Takahiro RAK L 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 .000 .333 .000
    vs Aoyama, Koji RAK R 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
    vs Tanaka, Masahiro RAK R 4 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 .250 .250 .250

    vs Right - - 83 28 6 0 10 64 12 1 18 0 1 .337 .423 .771
    vs Left 15 8 0 0 3 17 5 0 2 0 0 .533 .650 1.133

    vs All Above - - 98 36 6 0 13 81 17 1 20 0 1 .367 .462 .827

    Who do you consider the top caliber players?

  3. Patrick
    Patrick
    22/05/2011 at 7:34 am Permalink

    Who do you consider the top caliber players?

    The pitchers I was referring to were guys like Darvish, Tanaka, Maeda, Chen, Iwakuma, Sugiuchi, Naruse.

    I also just noticed that Balentien has 22 ab’s against Yokohama, and a .591 avg with five home runs in them.

  4. Patrick
    Chris Jackson
    22/05/2011 at 2:29 pm Permalink

    Off the subject a bit, but just wanted to pass along that there are scouts from Yomiuri and Lotte here in Albuquerque checking out the Isotopes and Reno Aces. I imagine they’re more interested in Reno’s collection of vets (Cody Ransom, Andy Tracy, Wily Mo Pena). Lotte seems to be in need of a power boost. Not sure if Yomiuri is looking more for pitching or hitting.

  5. Patrick
    Michael Westbay
    23/05/2011 at 6:53 am Permalink

    Yep. Balentien pretty much beat the BayStars single handedly that last series at Yokohama.