OC Register: Angels’ Mickey Moniak still confident despite recent slump

[AngelsWin.com]

ARLINGTON, Texas — Mickey Moniak’s feel-good story has hit a speed bump.

Moniak has spent much of the last three months showing why he was once the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, with his first stretch of extended success in the majors.

Over the past two weeks, though, Moniak has hit .122 with 20 strikeouts and one walk.

For the season, he is still hitting .285 with 12 home runs and an .827 OPS.

“Every young player, when you first come on this scene and do what he did for a little while, it’s a game of adjustments,” Manager Phil Nevin said. “The league’s adjusting to him and he’s got to adjust back, just as he did earlier. He went through a little spell too.”

Moniak had a rough week in late June too, and he responded with an 18-game hitting streak. The June slump and this one both coincided with minor injuries. Moniak suffered a hip injury in late June in Colorado. He fouled a ball off his foot in late July in Toronto.

Besides that, Nevin and Moniak both suggested there is an element of fatigue setting in for him. Moniak has already played 99 games this season, after playing only 67 during his injury-marred 2022 season.

“Just kind of getting my feet wet kind of getting used to playing this many games, having this many at-bats, making sure my body’s right,” Moniak said. “Trying to do as much as I can to make sure I’m ready to go each and every day.”

Moniak said the months of success he had helps give him confidence that his current slump is not indicative of the kind of player he is.

“I’ve always known that’s the kind of player that I can be, and obviously I have shown that for an extended period of time,” Moniak said. “It’s unfortunate the last few weeks are definitely not how I’ve wanted to play. But it is what it is. It happened. It’s over now. It’s my job to get out of it.”

ANOTHER SHOT FOR DETMERS

Left-hander Reid Detmers will start on Wednesday, a chance to get going back in the right direction after posting a 10.30 ERA in his last six starts.

Detmers will be pitching on four days of rest, which is standard for most starters but the Angels have had their starters go on at least five days of rest in recent years.

“It’s a quicker turnaround, so less time to think about the past,” Detmers said.

Detmers has had enough time to diagnose one of the issues he’s had lately. He said he needed to make a mechanical tweak because he wasn’t “staying tall” enough, and that was causing him “throw uphill and not get on top of the ball.”

Detmers said he’s thrown two bullpen sessions since his Friday start, when he gave up seven runs in 2⅓ innings in an 11-3 loss in Houston.

“Playing catch the last couple days, it’s felt really good,” Detmers said. “A lot better than I have over the last month or so. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

TROUT UPDATE

Mike Trout could face live pitching in a simulated game as soon as Thursday at Angel Stadium. Although he might need to do it for more than one day, that would be the final hurdle the three-time American League MVP needs to clear before returning to the lineup.

“It’s not scheduled,” General Manager Perry Minasian said. “We’re hoping. In my mind, that’s the plan. We’ll see if it actually happens. He’s trying to play through different things. We’ll see if the pain subsides. We need him back.”

Wednesday will mark six weeks since Trout had surgery to remove the fractured hamate bone from his left hand. The normal rehab time is four to eight weeks.

NOTES

Infielder Daniel Murphy has retired, ending his comeback bid with the Angels’ Triple-A team. Murphy, 38, last played in the majors in 2020. He was playing with the independent Long Island Ducks when the Angels signed him to a minor league deal earlier this season. Murphy hit .295 with a .741 OPS in 38 games with Salt Lake. …

First baseman C.J. Cron returned to the lineup after missing two games because of back stiffness.

UP NEXT

Angels (LHP Reid Detmers, 2-9, 5.27 ERA) at Rangers (RHP Jon Gray, 8-5, 3.65 ERA), Wednesday, 5:05 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM

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[CaliAngel]

Isn't Moniak doing his best Adell impressions in the outfield these days with all the fumbled balls causing extra bases?

[Angelsjunky]

Trout was supposed to be out 4-8 weeks. Now we're at 6, so it looks like he'll be at around 7 weeks. Typical. I guess it could've been 2024.

[TroutField]

2 hours ago, Angelsjunky said:

Trout was supposed to be out 4-8 weeks. Now we're at 6, so it looks like he'll be at around 7 weeks. Typical. I guess it could've been 2024.

Based on past history it probably will be. The last time he played a full season was 5 years ago and even then still only played 140 games. 
 

it pains me to say it because he’s my favorite player of all time, but he’s injury prone and past his prime and one of the main components (in addition to a plethora of other reasons) on why the angels can’t get into the playoffs. They don’t have their best player on the field, but a fraction of the time the past 6 years. 

[ScottT]

Told you so.  Guys with terrible walk and strikeout rates do not suceed long term. They may get a big contract, especially if they can play defense, but the offensive defencies will be exploited.  

Moniak's rates are worse than terrible.  Not sure if he's chasing a ton, whiffing on pitches in the zone, or what, but something has to change or he's a part time player at best

Edited August 16, 2023 by ScottT