John Kruk's article for ESPN

Interesting comments. I especially liked his take on David Ortiz.

I have high hopes for Kruk. I loved him as a player.

Someone asked him once about his weight and him being a "professional athlete," to which he replied:

"Im not a professional athlete, Im a baseball player."

Besides, anything on ESPN is better than hanging with Tom Arnold all day.

Wow, people actually like John Kruk? To me, he's actually worse than Harold Reynolds.

Take Peter Gammons off of Baseball Tonight, and it becomes unwatchable television. The sheer number of infuriatingly stupid things that dribble out of these two ex-players during the show boggles the mind.

Then again, the only two ESPN voices I even care about are Peter Gammons and Rob Neyer.

Kruk always cracked me up when he was on Letterman. I remember he once said about Mitch Williams "Well, I always wear a bulletproof vest whenever I'm with him..." A naturally funny guy. However, I'm not sure yet if he has the stuff to do commentary. It would be too bad if he decided to wear out his welcome being a funnyman a la Jay Johnstone.

I agree Dibble is awful. As for Baseball Tonight what do you expect? I mean all of them say dumb stuff and interesting stuff. The one thing I just can't stand is how politically correct they are. Especially with steroids and other issues in baseball they get all soft and apologetic about. Par for the course with anyone who doesn't want to rock the boat and burn down bridges without a book deal nowadays.

Yeah and it'd be great if they said absolutely nothing. However they get this aww shucks attitude about the whole thing that sickens me. Be honest if you can't be just shut up.

Better yet if ESPN didn't have such a sweet TV deal with MLB what would their great coverage on all of Baseballs nasty little problems be like? I'm genuinely curious.

Brilliant stuff. Agreed 100%.

Well, the arguement would be that MLB wanted players on steroids. They had no drug policy, and the sport was carried by the homerun in part due to the lack of any sort of regulations.

Hell, players (McGwire and Sosa) openly admitted to being on androstenedione and nothing happened to them. This was a substance banned in the NFL, the Olympics, and the NCAA yet nobody really said anything. Fans didn't care, MLB did nothing to the players that used the substance, and everything was hunky dory.

What kind of message do you think that sent?

But now, now it's cheating to use a substance that the sport should have banned? And what exactly does happen if they're found cheating? They get suspended, right? I can't see much more happening, since players have been caught with amphetimines, corked bats, and scuffed balls for a pretty damn long time.

It's good to see someone bring up Albert Belle though, because that's really the whole issue. When it's guys people like (McGwire, Sosa), everyones out there to defend them, to drop the issue... when it's a guy like Belle or Bonds, theres zero tolerance.

To get back to ESPN's coverage, I'm fucking glad I don't have to hear about this garbage every night. I want to watch baseball. They'll have ample time to bleed this story dry if/when they find more conclusive evidence

In case you hadn't notice, I could care less about steroids. The only thing that's bugged me from the start is the hypocrisy of it all, which I think you summed up pretty well... just felt like getting all longed winded and all.

We need Howard Cosell. The only guy I can think of coming anywhere close is Keith Olbermann, but I think he's with MSNBC now.

I thought we made it clear its their aww shucks/apologist tone that we can't stand? Remember when I said they should say nothing? When they bring it up is when I get pissed. They have zero impact on the situation anyways. Yet I have to hear Karl Rynock, Peter Gummy, Harold Rhino and Jeff Brickly defend MLB and these players with their silly excuses. Say nothing i'm a happy man. I like Baseball Tonight outside of this kind of thing though.

Somehow, I've never seen them even broach the issue (not including the sporatic Outside the Lines spot). Then again, I have avoided Kruk like the plague.

John Kruk destroys.
All-time greatest Phillie, I grew up watching this guy rule this town, 1993 was crazy.
A great ball player, and a great analyst. This guy knows his game.

Yeah, I'm upset that he's not doing the play by play for Phillies home games anymore. . . he was great.

I remember during one game he mentioned how, early in his career, he sold a teammate his number in exchange for a 12 pack of beer. . . thats the kind of guy he was. A guy's guy.

Not to deflect attention from Kruk, but Harold Reynold and Joe Morgan call a game like no other. Love hearing them, almost as much as the all time great, Tim McCarver, whose voice is synonymous with baseball.

Best argument ever last night on BBTN between Kruk and Reynolds. They were debating A-Rod bunting in the first inning of the Yanks-White Sox game. They went at it for about five minutes, and Peter Gammons just sat there with his jaw on the floor. Of course, Kruk wanted him to swing away and play for the big inning (which in hindsight did happen, but he had his reasons for not bunting), while Reynolds thought the bunting would get A-Rod out of his slump.

Best move ever hiring John Kruk and his one testicle for that show.

"You're the third hitter. You're supposed to HIT."

I didn't see it, but I'd have my jaw on the floor too... why the hell were they arguing over whether or not Alex Rodriguez should've bunted.

Is this some new trend in the AL? Bunt your slugger?

You would've agreed with Kruk then.

Add to the fact A-Rod bats in front of Giambi who is like a .200 hitter off of lefties (Buehrle was pitching last night), and Kruk thought it was the worst idea. ever.

So apparently Jarred Washburn is John Kruk's AL Cy Young candidate, entirely based on the fact that he's 7-1.

The numbers:
4.68ERA 1.36WHIP .280BAA

You know, reading other peoples opinion of Baseball Tonight is far more amusing than actually watching it. I think I'm going to stick to that from now on.

Call me crazy, but I kinda liked Bobby Valentine towards the last half of last season. He and Reynold seemed to have great chemistry.

Peter Gammons is the ultimate straight-man.

Bobby Valentine gets a bad rap, probably the smartest manager out there. Too bad his players tend to hate his guts.

Oh! the 92-93 Phillies what a colorfull team. Almost all the player had such different and colorfull personality.

My second fav after the 94 Expos. (Alou, Walker, Hill , Martinez, etc...)

Kruk is a real cool guy who says what he wants and doesn't fear if he is not saying what all the others says. Amen!

There's a difference between speaking your mind, and making a fool of yourself.

I know , I know. But it is a good show. Sombodies won't say anything contoversial because they fear to look stupid. That makes them stupid. An intelligent guy won't be afraid to look stupid once in a while. So express what you think, even if you are alone with this idea.

I love Kruk, but I wouldn't go that far.