Wladimir Balentien: After not finding a regular role with a Major League team in the past three seasons outfielder Wladimir Balentien is going to Japan. It is not clear yet, which team he will join. But due to his contract he cannot play in the Venezuelan Winter League this year. He was supposed to be on the roster for Leones de Caracas. Balentien didn’t play in the big leagues this year, spending 2010 with the Triple-A team of the Cincinnati Reds in Louisville. He has a .221 batting average (OBP .281/SLG .374) in 170 MLB games for the Seattle Mariners and the Reds between 2007 and 2009. He batted .282/.337/.536 in 116 games this season. He was mostly used in right field.
Alex Liddi: Just shortly after our last update, Italian third baseman Alex Liddi went 4-for-5 for Cardenales de Lara of the Venezuelan Winter League on November 10, missing the cycle by a double. It didn’t really help to start a hot streak, as the Seattle Mariners prospect went 3-for-20 afterwards. He is now batting .235 (OBP .310/SLG .373) in 28 games overall.
Kai Gronauer: German National Team head coach Greg Frady praised German catcher Kai Gronauer during the EBCA Convention in Cologne last weekend. And the 23-year-old seems to have found his swing in the Arizona Fall League. He now has hits in six of his last nine appearances for the Mesa Solar Sox. The New York Mets minor leaguer is now batting .190 (OBP .261/SLG .286) with a triple, two doubles, three runs scored and eight RBI in twelve games.