The centerfield tandem for the Phillies for the first eleven games was just not working out. On Wednesday, Dave Dombrowski made a move to change up the look.
Mickey Moniak is coming off a strong Spring Training, slashing .273/.385/.727 with 2 HRs. The first overall pick in the 2016 MLB Draft professional career has been somewhat of a disappointment thus far. However, Moniak is still a month away from his 23rd birthday. There is still room for growth, and he looks to be turning a developmental corner.
The Phillies have not had much production from the CF position this season, as the combo of Adam Haseley and Roman Quinn mustered only five hits this season. With the offense struggling, both players were under a closer microscope to start the season. Neither has delivered so far.
Whether it is offensively, defensively, or on the bases, the pair haven’t been able to lock down the position in 2021. Haseley is out of position playing CF and it has shown, while Quinn no longer looks like a major leaguer. Yesterday’s unsuccessful steal of third base with two outs and Rhys Hoskins up was a disaster. Part of me thinks that was the play that forced Dombrowski’s hand.
With the many holes the Phillies had coming into last offseason, they were never going to be able to cover up all of them. While Moniak might not be the player to fix all of the problems, it was the first logical move to bring about change. Being already on the 40-man roster, Moniak was the simplest move to make. I don’t know what is going on with Haseley, but I hope that all is good with him.
Turning to Moniak prior to giving someone like Odubel Herrera a chance is both a ethical move, and a indictment on how the Phillies see Herrera. I have been vocal about my displeasure with adding Herrera to the roster, and it seems the Phillies have also caught on. I don’t expect him to see time with the Phillies ever again.
The Phillies play their third game of the Mets series tonight. Quinn will be in the lineup tonight, but that should change. Moving forward, I expect the majority of the at-bats to go to Moniak.
For what it’s worth, his manager is very high on him.
If he is able to perform like he did during Spring Training, he could be exactly the spark the lineup needs. Being 6-5 with little help from this offense is quite a feat for this team.
I expect that this team only goes up during the season. Could Moniak be the move that started the trend?
Let’s hope so.
Beautifully written! Let’s hope this is the spark that they need!! GO PHILLIES!!!!