Colorful Phillies Broadcaster Staying With Team After Extension

Kruk played first base for the Phils in the early 90s, including on their 1993 squad that won the National League Pennant. That group was much like the fictional Cleveland movie squad - a bunch of scrappy guys who just got tired of losing.

That attitude has translated into the booth since 2017, when Kruk joined play-by-play man Tom McCarthy as the regular Phillies' pairing. He's been described as an unapologetic homer, something he's repeatedly self-affirmed:

No (expletive) I pull for the Phillies. I hope your team sucks and loses.

But it's not done in a tacky way. Kruk's frustrations during every Philly loss, every error or strikeout with runners on, are real - just as real as accurate frustrations he felt with the organization for decades after they released him in 1994. And when the moment is right, he knows exactly how to reel the viewing audience in.

Whether it's an authentic "Oh my God!" at the sight of a walk-off grand slam, celebrations for Bohmer, Ed-mun-do, and other Phillies after a great play, or the totally unexpected - like suggesting he and T-Mac name a kid after umpire Malachi Moore - Kruk keeps up his status as one of the most recognizable color guys in MLB.

So long as his health holds strong and his employer stays happy, he's not stepping down from his perch in South Philly.