Mike Balenti
Shortstop · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1911-1913)
Mike Balenti was a shortstop who played in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1913 for the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Browns, a span of 3 seasons. In 78 career games, he hit .183 with 40 hits and 11 RBI.
- AVG (Batting Average):
- Hits divided by at bats. .300 is the traditional mark of an excellent hitter.
- HR (Home Runs):
- Hits on which the batter circled the bases and scored, almost always by clearing the outfield fence.
- RBI (Runs Batted In):
- Runs that scored as a direct result of a batter's plate appearance.
- OPS (On-Base Plus Slugging):
- On-base percentage plus slugging percentage, the quickest single summary of offensive value. .900 or better is star-level.
Data updated
- Position
- Shortstop
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 5'11" / 175 lb
- Died
- 8/4/1955 in Altus, OK, USA
- MLB Debut
- 1911-07-19
- Last Game
- 1913-09-22
Full name: Michael Richard Balenti
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 219 | 19 | 40 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 33 | .183 | .208 | .228 | .436 | -1,160 |
Career AVG .183 vs. league average .263 across their career seasons — 30.6% below league average.
Career OBP .208 vs. league average .331 across their career seasons — 37.1% below league average.
Career SLG .228 vs. league average .351 across their career seasons — 35.0% below league average.
Career OPS .436 vs. league average .682 across their career seasons — 36.0% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | CIN | NL | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | .250 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1913 | SLA | AL | 70 | 211 | 17 | 38 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 32 | .180 | .259 (-31%) | .325 (-37%) | .345 (-34%) | .670 (-35%) | -1160.1 |
| Career · 2 seasons | 78 | 219 | 19 | 40 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 33 | .183 | — | — | — | — | -1,160 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (79 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 34 | 73 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 2 | .151 |
| Away | 45 | 145 | 15 | 29 | 0 | 9 | .200 |
Last 10 Games — Batting
| Date | Tm | Opp | Res | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1913-09-22 | SLA | MIN | W | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-09-20 | SLA | MIN | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-09-18 | SLA | PHA | W | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-09-17 | SLA | PHA | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-09-16 | SLA | BOS | L | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-09-15 | SLA | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-09-13 | SLA | BOS | L | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1913-09-12 | SLA | NYY | L | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-09-11 | SLA | NYY | L | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1913-09-10 | SLA | NYY | W | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| First Base | 1 |
| Shortstop | 56 |
| Left Field | 9 |
| Center Field | 2 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle Indian Industrial School | Carlisle | PA | 1907, 1908, 1909 |
| Texas A&M University | College Station | TX | 1910 |
Mike Balenti: the record in brief
According to the bio, Mike Balenti debuted on July 19, 1911 and played a final game on September 22, 1913. Balenti played for the Cincinnati Reds (1911) and the St. Louis Browns (1913). At 175 pounds on a 5-foot-11 frame, Balenti is listed as a shortstop. The bio says Balenti batted and threw right-handed. Balenti was born on July 3, 1886, in Calumet, OK, USA. The bio records the death on August 4, 1955, in Altus, OK, USA. Mike Balenti was the playing name; the full given name is Michael Richard.
In 78 games and 219 at bats, Balenti batted .183 with 40 hits, along with 11 runs batted in. Balenti's career OPS of .436 combines a .208 on-base mark with .228 slugging. Over the seasons Balenti played, league hitters batted .263; the .183 career figure is 30.6% below that. The hits column peaks at 38, in 1913. Even the best average among the busiest seasons, .180 in 1913, did not top the league's .259.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mike Balenti
- What years did Mike Balenti play?
- Mike Balenti played in Major League Baseball from 1911 to 1913.
- Was Mike Balenti a pitcher?
- No. Mike Balenti was a position player (Shortstop).
- How many home runs did Mike Balenti hit?
- Mike Balenti hit 0 career home runs with 40 hits.
- What teams did Mike Balenti play for?
- Mike Balenti played for 2 teams: the Cincinnati Reds (1911) and the St. Louis Browns (1913).
- What were Mike Balenti's career stats?
- In 78 games, Mike Balenti had 40 hits, 11 RBI, 19 runs, and 6 stolen bases, with a .183 batting average.
- What position did Mike Balenti play?
- Mike Balenti played primarily as a shortstop, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Mike Balenti and how much did he weigh?
- Mike Balenti was listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 175 pounds.
- What was Mike Balenti's career batting average?
- Mike Balenti batted .183 over his career, with 40 hits in 219 at bats.
- How many RBI did Mike Balenti have?
- Mike Balenti drove in 11 runs in his career.
- Is Mike Balenti in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Mike Balenti has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.