Haseley takes leave, Moniak’s time has come
Mickey Moniak is about to get the opportunity that many first-hand Florida observers thought he deserved last month, and under what most Phillies fans would consider a curtain of concern and curiosity.
Moniak, the Phillies’ No. 1 overall selection in the 2016 MLB draft out a Southern California high school and often a poster child in his early professional years of an organization that made many wrong turns in recent years, was promoted to the big club Wednesday, arriving shortly before the Phils’ game with the Mets at Citi Field.
While suffering switch-hitter Roman Quinn got the start in centerfield against Mets lefty David Peterson Wednesday night, Moniak is expected to get the bulk of the starting assignments going forward. For how long likely depends not only on how he fares, but what happens with close friend Adam Haseley.
The No. 8 overall selection in the 2017 draft, Haseley had won at least a share of the centerfield job out of spring training but was hitting but .190 with no homers when he brokered a deal Wednesday to leave the team. Haseley, 25, has been placed on the restricted list “for personal reasons” according to the club.
“I became aware of it today,” manager Joe Girardi said. “I did speak to him and we had a nice talk (on the phone) today and I think we all agreed that this is probably the best and we’ll move forward.
“I’m just going to leave it at that. I don’t want to get into it. It’s a personal thing and we’ll just leave it at that.”
Haseley, a pitcher and outfielder for the University of Virginia prior to being drafted, had a quick ascension through the Phillies’ ranks. He began the 2018 season with the High-A Clearwater Threshers and hit .300 while showing some power with five homers and 38 RBIs. He quickly moved up to Double-A Reading, and started 2019 there. But on May 29 he made the move to Triple-A with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, and just over a week later found himself with the Phillies when Andrew McCutchen went down with a knee injury.
Haseley has been both a regular and bench player in stretches since, but in Clearwater this spring was set back with a groin strain. He has really struggled since coming north with the club, though hadn’t been surpassed by the Phillies’ other centerfielder, Quinn, who is barely on the charts with a .059/.237/.059
lsash line entering Wednesday’s game.
The Phillies not only need power from the centerfield spot, they need any offensive punch they can get.
Moniak, 22, was called up during the pandemic shortened 2020 season and hit just .214 in 18 plate appearances. But he hit .271 with a .576 slugging percentage during the spring, and had impressed organizational eyes with what he was doing at the “alternative training site” in Allentown, where the minor league players are preparing for the start of their league seasons.
“We felt that Mickey’s at-bats were probably the best (option),” Girardi said of the “corresponding move” to Haseley’s sudden departure. “We liked what we saw from Mickey in spring training. We felt that he was the most ready to help us.”
Moniak, in a Zoom interview from Citi Field later Wednesday, indicated he’s ready, too.
“My whole mindset is to just go out there and play hard every single pitch; do what I do, stay within myself and do whatever I can to help the team win,” Moniak said.
But Moniak, who had bonded at spring training with Haseley the past few years, seems as concerned as he is excited.
“I’m concerned for him,” Moniak said. “I had no clue what the circumstances were and still don’t. I haven’t gotten a chance to reach out to him quite yet, but I definitely will.
“Adam’s one of my closest friends in this organization. I hope he’s OK. Whatever it is, I’m going to reach out to him and make sure. You hate to see it. Whatever it may be, I hope he’s all good.”
Girardi offered little more than shrug when asked about a possible Haseley return.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “We don’t have a timetable. I’m not sure when we’ll see him.”