Angels News: Phil Nevin Challenges Mickey Moniak Amid Elongated Slump

Will he make the necessary adjustments?

Life for a guy named Mickey in Anaheim should be nice, right?

Well, unless your last name is "Mouse," the last few weeks haven't necessarily been the best for you.

Mickey Moniak, a former No. 1 overall pick in the draft, has been struggling mightily at the plate. He's gone 5 for his last 37 at-bats over 10 games, which brings his batting average to .135 over that time.

On the season, he's still batting a very respectable .283 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI, after he missed some time due to injury.

So what has to change for Moniak, according to manager Phil Nevin?

“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,” 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.”

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OC Register

I mean, Nevin's right. Earlier in the season, Moniak had a dry spell at the plate, but then broke out of it with an 18-game hitting streak, although that slump had a lot to do with little minor injuries that Moniak suffered during it.

If Moniak can respond the way he did earlier in the season, the Angels chances to make the postseason might just get a whole lot better, and it seems like Moniak is ready for the challenge.

“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.”

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OC Register