Scott Kingery “Not Even Close” to returning to the Major League level
Roman Quinn is slashing .059/.238/.297 with one hit in 17 at-bats this season. Adam Haseley is slashing .190/.190/.429 this season with four hits in 21 at-bats this season. The Philadelphia Phillies have a centerfield problem. The Phillies are 6-5 to start the season and have gotten a total of five hits and zero RBIs from their centerfielders.
Although it may be too early to make a change just 11 games into the 2021 season, it’s hard to believe that the Phillies will continue to keep Roman Quinn on their Major League roster. The 27-year old has failed to prove himself time and time again. If things continue to not work in centerfield, they have both Scott Kingery and Odubel Herrera waiting to work their ways back into a Phillies uniform as quickly as possible.
Odubel Herrera is currently at the alternate site in Lehigh Valley. We all know the baggage that Herrera carries with him, but Dave Dombrowski stated that he wouldn’t hesitate to bring Herrera to the majors if he performs well at the alternate site or in the minors when the season finally begins next month.
As for Scott Kingery, his future remains unclear. Joe Girardi stated yesterday that the Phillies organization doesn’t think that Kingery is ready to come back to the Phillies yet. Girardi made it clear in Spring Training that he was strictly going to evaluate the roster spots in centerfield based on talent, which for me, brings up more questions than answers.
Put on your tin foil hat for a second and consider the following. The Phillies and Girardi were banking on Scott Kingery securing the centerfield position in Spring Training. That of course, did not happen. With their plans destroyed the Phillies then had to actually consider Odubel Herrera in centerfield, who started Spring red hot before cooling down over the final weeks of camp. Thanks to Herrera’s cold streak, the Phillies could make the case that Roman Quinn should be on the roster instead of Herrera, and gamble on Adam Haseley to perform well in the starting centerfield role. Herrera was never supposed to be an option. Turns out, he’s the best option the Phillies have. I don’t think it’s even too far fetched of theory. Either Joe Girardi and the Phillies have completely misjudged their player evaluations in Haseley and Quinn, or they were backed into a corner thanks to an underperforming Scott Kingery and a troubled past of Odubel Herrera and lied to us.
The Phillies want to see consistent at-bats and a change in Scott Kingery’s mechanics at the plate. Kingery, who I believe was a victim of Gabe Kapler’s launch-angle philosophy, is completely lost at the plate and the move to bring him back up to the Major League level is reportedly “not even close.” Until he can start spraying the ball all over the field like he’s done in college and in the minor leagues, the return of Jetpax SZN is definitely in jeopardy.
It’s time to bring up Mickey Moniak. I don’t see the point in waiting any longer. In Spring Training, Mickey Moniak slashed .273/.385/.727 with a 1.112 OPS with six hits, two doubles, a triple, two home runs, and two RBI. He’s a better option than Haseley and Quinn. Give the young kid a run and let’s see what he’s made of. It literally can’t get any worse.
The Phillies and their bullpen are awaiting news on Archie Bradley’s strained oblique. Currently, the severity of the injury is unknown and Archie Bradley even gave somewhat of a weird press conference stating that the injury popped up out of now where after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Bradley, who was slow out of the gate rebuilding his arm strength to begin the season, will now be hindered by a recovering oblique strain when he returns to the pen. The good news is that Jojo Romero threw a scoreless inning yesterday for the Phillies. If Romero can continue to have strong outings, it will make the pain of not having Bradley in the bullpen for at least the next few weeks.
The Phillies will play game 3-of-4 tonight against the Mets in New York. Zach Wheeler will be pitching for the Phillies and the Mets will send David Peterson to the mound.
