John Kruk Joins Phillies TV Booth: 'I'm Too Old To Change'
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A familiar face joins the Phillies broadcast team this season.
John Kruk has always been a Phillies fan favorite, dating to his days on the pennant-winning '93 team.
Now, he says, "I'm happy to be back within this organization."
Kruk replaces Matt Stairs on the Phillies TV broadcasts. Stairs is the Phils' new hitting coach. Kruk spent a dozen seasons as a baseball analyst for ESPN until they parted ways last year.
"They had to figure out a way to cut payroll, I guess. I didn't do anything wrong. I know you're asking about a certain pitcher that I played with. It has nothing to do with that."
Nothing to do with Curt Schilling...
"Unless they found out what I was texting him, and they could have fired me for that."
Kruk, who is 55, joked that his wife told him he was too young to retire.
Kruk also joined Ike Reese and Chris Carlin on the 94WIP Carlin & Reese show, who asked Kruk what we should expect this season.
"I predicted the Phillies would lose 100 games last year and I said that's generous," said Kruk. "That didn't go over well, but I'm too old to change. I can't change and if I did I think the fans in Philadelphia would know that and I can't be anything different. I'm sure there are going to be times where the people from the Phillies front office are going to cringe, but I can't be anything other than what I am.
"Look, they asked me to do this. I didn't call them and say, 'Hey I really gotta do this.' I agreed to do it and I'm very happy to do it and I'm very glad that they wanted me to do, but they know what they're getting."