San Antonio right fielder Wladimir Balentien, known as "the Curacao Crusher," is a can't-miss Major Leaguer. Fresh off an attention-grabbing performance at the Futures All-Star game in Pittsburgh, he will be playing for Seattle by next season. Put him at No. 1 on your visiting-team autograph list if you didn't get him after he won the home-run derby in the Texas League All-Star game at Ray Winder Field. The latest on the rest of the Missions can be found at the San Antonio Express-News. The top promotion during this series is Thursday when kids get a free pack of Travelers baseball cards. And, of course, this is the first chance to see new Travs center fielder Terry Evans, who leads the Minor Leagues in home runs and hit two of them in his first three games with the Travs since being traded from Springfield. The home-stand continues Friday and Saturday when Corpus Christi rolls into town.
Here's a quick guide to the top players to watch and the upcoming promotions for this home stand.
Monday, July 10 - 7:10 p.m.
Free admission to anyone bringing a box of cereal for the KTHV cereal drive, $3 family discount coupon in Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Tuesday, July 11 - 7:10 p.m.
$3 coupons at "Little Rock area" Exxon stations
Wednesday, July 12 - 7:10 p.m.
Free tickets at "Little Rock area" Arby's, bring two cans of pet food or one bag of treats for Humane Society and get $3 tickets, discount coupons where Reddy Ice is sold
Thursday, July 13 - 7:10 p.m.
2006 Travelers team cards to first 500 kids, Petit Jean meats proof of purchase good for $3 discount ticket, bingo between innings
Top players to watch
San Antonio Missions (Seattle Mariners, Tacoma Rainiers)
33 Wladimir Balentien RF - Mariners #11 prospect and on 40-man roster, has John Daly "grip it and rip it" approach to hitting, from Curacao, member of '04 Dutch Olympic team, '06 Futures Game All-Star, '06 Texas League All-Star, leads team with 49 runs, 14 home runs, 51 RBIs
21 Sebastian Boucher CF - Mariners #19 prospect, played for Team Canada in Olympic qualifying, leads team with 21 stolen bases, team co-leader with 71 hits
13 Oswaldo Navarro 2B - Mariners #27 prospect, from Venezuela, leads team with 13 errors
14 Jesus Guzman 3B - Team co-leader with 71 hits
42 Yung Chi Chen 2B - '06 Futures Game All-Star
23 Marshall Hubbard 1B - Leads team with .322 batting average and .397 on-base percentage
47 Yorman Bazardo RHP - Mariners #13 prospect and on 40-man roster, from Venezuela, '06 Texas League All-Star
55 Ryan Feierabend LHP - Mariners #16 prospect, best pick-off move in Minors, could be a No. 4 starter in MLB, leads team with 80 strike outs
48 Travis Blackely LHP - Mariners #22 prospect and on 40-man roster, from Australia, compared to Mark Buehrle, '06 Texas League All-Star, leads team with 6 wins
27 Jason Mackintosh LHP - '06 Texas League All-Star
45 Robert Rorbaugh LHP - Leads team with 0.92 ERA
Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels, Salt Lake Bees)
7 Brandon Wood SS - #3 prospect in Minor League Baseball, Angels #1 prospect and '03 top draft pick, $1.3 million signing bonus, '05 Futures Game All Star, called next Cal Ripken Jr., could be perennial MLB All Star, hit 58 home runs in '05 between Rancho Cucamonga, Arizona Fall League (four home runs in one game), and Team USA Olympic qualifying, led Minors last season in doubles, home runs, total bases, and extra-base hits, the first to do so since 1956, projected starting third baseman for '09 Angels, '06 Texas League All-Star, leads team with 19 home runs, 60 RBIs, .377 on-base percentage, 107 strike outs, and 21 errors, team co-leader with 53 runs
10 Bobby Wilson C - Angels #22 prospect, played with Casey Kotchman on Seminole (Fla.) High's national championship team, leads team with .315 batting average
3 Eric Rodland 2B - '06 Texas League All-Star
11 Matt Brown 3B - Leads team with 100 hits, team co-leader with 53 runs
17 Dwaine Bacon CF - Leads team with 27 stolen bases
8 Greg Porter 1B-DH - Played college at Texas A&M
30 Devin Day 2B-CF-RF - Former Razorback
24 Terry Evans CF - Leads Minor Leagues in home runs
33 Jose Arredondo RHP - Angels #17 prospect, on Angels 40-man roster, from Dominican Republic, leads team with 0.00 ERA
20 Rafael Rodriguez RHP - Angels #21 prospect, from Dominican Republic
38 Bob Zimmerman RHP - Angels #27 prospect, part of SW Missouri State's '03 College World Series team
35 Nick Green RHP - Angels #29 prospect
37 Jesse Smith RHP - '06 Texas League All-Star, leads team with 55 strike outs
14 Bill Edwards RHP - Leads team with 7 wins
6 Miguel Gonzalez RHP - '06 Texas League All-Star
Texas League leaders as of 7/10
Batting average
.338 J.R. House, Corpus Christi
.328 Ben Zobrist, Corpus Christi
.323 Rico Washington, Springfield
.318 Jorge Cortes, Corpus Christi
.318 Billy Butler, Wichita
Home runs
20 Joe Koshansky, Tulsa
20 Hunter Pence, Corpus Christi
19 Brandon Wood, Arkansas
14 Juan Richardson, Springfield
14 Wladimir Balentien, San Antonio
14 Reid Gorecki, Springfield
Pitching ERA (starters)
1.98 Matt Albers, Corpus Christi
3.02 Yorman Bazardo, San Antonio
3.06 Brad Ziegler, Midland
3.09 Chance Douglas, Corpus Christi
3.20 Enmanuel Ulloa, Tulsa
Pitching strike outs
112 Thomas Diamond, Frisco
99 Paul Estrada, Corpus Christi
96 Mitch Talbot, Corpus Christi
95 Juan Gutierez, Corpus Christi
84 Matt Albers, Corpus Christi
Not to knock Porter (I'll leave that to NationalOriole), but I had to laugh as I read through the Travs. Leads team in this, Leads team in that, USA Olympic qualifier, All-Star, etc. Then you get to Porter:
"Played college at Texas A&M"
Posted by: closetbaseballfan | July 10, 2006 at 01:08 PM
I'm waiting for the Aggie chants the next time Porter makes an error.
Notice in the Travs promotions that they say "Little Rock area" Exxon and Arby's. It would kind of take on a whole new meaning had they said "North Little Rock area." That's my whole point with branding the team that way.
Posted by: Travelerocity | July 10, 2006 at 01:44 PM
See everyone at the game tonight! So glad the Travs are back in town.
I'll be more original and thought provoking next time ... it's been a long day.
Posted by: 3rd base bum | July 10, 2006 at 05:47 PM