Balentien’s Hot Start
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
23/05/2011 at 6:53 am Permalink
Yep. Balentien pretty much beat the BayStars single handedly that last series at Yokohama.