I've never heard of either of these guys.

The M's miss Endy Chavez.

I've never heard of either of these guys.

Balentien got some play in prospect circles a year or two ago. He's taken the Juan Guzman path to obscurity.

Doesn't the general manager explain these things to the field manager (Dusty)? It seems ridiculous to me that Dusty goes on record saying he knows absolutely nothing about the player just acquired, and things like, "We don't know what he'll do in a game since he hasn't played." It's like when the manager doesn't know anything about the players in preseason camp, and only goes on what he sees those couple weeks. Hey, there is alot of readily available information out there. If it's not Dusty's job to know all the scrub outfielders in the A.L., he should at least talk with the G.M. who acquired the guy to discuss his strengths/weaknesses and how best to use him. Why am I posting this? Okay back to lurking.

Is Vladimir a popular Dominican name? Is there a reason for that?

I've never heard of either of these guys.

Balentien got some play in prospect circles a year or two ago. He's taken the Juan Guzman path to obscurity.

Well, he's had 400 major league ABs the last two seasons, so maybe it's just that the path to obscurity leads to Seattle.

Is Vladimir a popular Dominican name? Is there a reason for that?

Probably they had some hardcore communistic couples that liked Lenin's steely gaze very much.

Either that or I'm packing lots of garlic and crucifices when I'm going there.

Either that or I'm packing lots of garlic and crucifices when I'm going there.

Vlad the Impaler was Vladislav not Vladimir.

Just to clarify, "Wladimir" is not a popular name anywhere.

Can't decide if I am... a)overjoyed, b)stunned, c)stoked, or d)numb, by this mesmerizing trade by the Reds. Most likely not a) or c).

Surprised Balentien's 25 already. I think he could still be good. His 400 ABs don't represent the fairest of trials, I think. The M's have been jerking him around quite a bit. That said, weird move by the Reds.

Balentien may never do a thing, but I kind of like this for the Reds.

Good to hear from RR.
This can't help right now. I can't believe how empty the ballpark is tonight, watching it on MLB.
An overhaul is needed, with Dunn and JR moving out last year, that was a start. But now is the time to unload other high priced talent, even if they are popular - Mr. Harang and Mr. Arroyo...

with Dunn and JR moving out last year, that was a start

Yeah, it sure is good for the Reds that Dusty doesn't have to write Adam Dunn's name on the lineup card 160 times a season. They might actually score some runs if Dunn were still in Cincy.

I didn't know that Marty Brenneman posted here; welcome, Marty!

Is Vladimir a popular Dominican name? Is there a reason for that?

MLB:

Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Nunez

Minor league:
Vlad Alcaraz 1990-1991 CAL
Vladimir Bello 2001-2002 COL
Vladimir Carela 2006 LAD
Vladimir De Los Santos 2006-2009 PHI
Vladimir Frias 2008-2009 SFG
Vladimir Hernandez 2001-2004
Vladimir Mirabal 1959-1960 CIN
Vladimir Ortiz 2007-2009 DET
Vladimir Paredes 1996-1997 ARI
Vladimir Perez 1987-1995
Vladimil Veloz 2003 FLA

I don't get it. Those all seem hispanic (don't know the individual countries)

Then there's:

Ivan Rodriguez
Ivan Calderon
Ivan DeJesus

and a host of minor leaguers, most of whom seem to have hispanic surnames. What's the deal?

The Russian influence was (is?) big in Cuba (Vladimir Nunez, Alexei Ramirez, Yuniesky Betancourt).

This seems exactly like the type of deal Jim Bowden would have made.

With all that said, Wladimir must be Polish, yes?

According to wikipedia (I know), Vladimir "owes its popularity outside Slavic countries to Saint Vladimir", which seems somewhat plausible. A lot (the vast majority?) of people around the world are named after religious figures. However, I would bet that Lenin had some influence as well.

18. Shock Posted: July 30, 2009 at 04:00 AM (#3273435)
With all that said, Wladimir must be Polish, yes?

Not necessarily. It is also German spelling. Wladimir instead of Vladimir, Jewgeny instead of Yevgeny, Wirssaladze instead of Virsaladze, etc.

There is really no "correct" spelling.

According to wikipedia (I know), Vladimir "owes its popularity outside Slavic countries to Saint Vladimir", which seems somewhat plausible.

FWIW, St. Vladimir is a specifically Russian saint, who adopted Eastern Orthodoxy at the expense of Western Catholicism. So it seems unlikely that there is widespread affection for him in the overwhelmingly Catholic Caribbean and Latin America.

Unless people are naming their kids "Vladimir" because of his awesome Latin nickname:

Until his baptism, Vladimir I of Kiev (c.958–1015) was described by Thietmar of Merseburg as a great profligate (Latin: fornicator maximus).

It is also German spelling. Wladimir instead of Vladimir, Jewgeny instead of Yevgeny

Those Germans and their Jewgenys.

The Vladimir thing seems to be exclusive to Cuba and the Dominican Republic, from looking at the birthplaces of the bb-ref Vlads. Cuba seems easily explained. The Dominican Vlads seem to have been born at around the same time: Late 70s, early 80s. That's about the time the leftists took power from Balaguer in the Dominican Republic.

So I'm thinking it's a nod to Lenin.