The Philadelphia Inquirer
Thursday, April 26, 2001

 

Kruk, now at Reading, trying out for Fox talk-show team
"TV interests me a lot," says the popular former Phillie, who is now a hitting instructor.

 

By Bob Brookover
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

SAN DIEGO - John Kruk's days as a minor-league hitting instructor could be numbered.

 

The former Phillies first baseman, who is in his first season as the hitting instructor with the team's double-A affiliate in Reading, has auditioned for a job on a sports talk show with Fox SportsNet.

 

Kruk, 40, said Fox had contacted him shortly after he reported to spring training, and he auditioned for the job "a couple of weeks ago."

 

"There's nothing etched in stone," Kruk said yesterday from Erie, Pa., where the Reading Phillies were on a road trip. "I'm supposed to go back for a second audition, possibly on Monday."

 

Lou D'Ermilio, vice president of communications at Fox, said the proposed show would have more than three regular hosts who would talk about sports and entertainment. If the concept is adopted, D'Ermilio said, the show probably would make its debut in the fall, which means Kruk would be able to complete his first season as the Reading hitting instructor.

 

"If it gets on the air, it would be on Fox SportsNet's regional channels on the nights those stations were not airing games," D'Ermilio said. "It's designed loosely off Fox NFL Sunday, but it wouldn't be just football."

 

D'Ermilio said Kruk has the witty personality that would fit well in the proposed show.

 

"You need to be able to talk well, have an opinion, and come through the television set," D'Ermilio said.

 

After spending six seasons with the Phillies, Kruk retired from baseball in 1995 after a short stint with the Chicago White Sox. Since then, he has performed a variety of jobs, including several in the television field.

 

Shortly after his retirement, he was involved in promoting baseball for Fox with a series of hilarious commercials. His most recent television venture was a locally produced show with a former teammate, Mitch Williams, that never took off.

 

Kruk's coaching job with Reading marked his return to baseball. By all accounts, he has been a positive influence in the organization. Kruk said it would be difficult to walk away from a career he had just started, but it would probably be even more difficult to turn down the money Fox is likely to offer.

 

"You're talking about a lot of stability and, believe me, as unstable as I am, stability is a good thing," Kruk said. "TV interests me a lot."