Mike Krukow
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mike Krukow | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | ||
| Born: January 21, 1952 | ||
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| September 6, 1976 for the Chicago Cubs |
||
| Final game | ||
| June 4, 1989 for the San Francisco Giants |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Record | 124-117 | |
| ERA | 3.90 | |
| Strikeouts | 1478 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
|
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Michael Edward (Mike) Krukow (born January 21, 1952 in Long Beach, California) is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently a broadcaster for the San Francisco Giants.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
He played college ball for the Cal Poly Mustangs. Though his collegiate eligibility was cut short, he still holds the school record for career earned run average at 1.94 and is tied for most shutouts in a season with 5.
[edit] Major league career
Krukow was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 8th round of the 1973 draft. Krukow played Major League baseball for the Chicago Cubs (1976–1981), the Philadelphia Phillies (1982) and the San Francisco Giants (1983–1989). He batted and threw right-handed.
Krukow had a solid, if unspectacular career in the major leagues. In 1982, after six years with the Cubs, he was dealt to Philadelphia for pitchers Dickie Noles and Dan Larson and outfielder Keith Moreland.
The right-handed starter was second only to Steve Carlton in wins, posting a 13-11 record and an impressive 3.12 ERA, but despite this success, the Phillies sent Krukow, Mark Davis and Charlie Penigar to the San Francisco Giants in December 1982 in a trade for Joe Morgan and reliever Al Holland. The trade helped Philadelphia win the National League pennant in 1983, but it also gave San Francisco two arms that would become a big part of the Giants’ success in the late 1980s.
Krukow's best season was in 1986, posting a record of 20-9 with a 3.05 ERA pitching for the San Francisco Giants. Giants fans can not argue Krukow should have won the Cy Young Award in 1986 as he finished third behind Mike Scott and Fernando Valenzuela, each of whom had better statistics on the season. Krukow was selected to the National League All-Star team that season. He was awarded the Willie Mac Award in both 1985 and 1986 honoring his spirit and leadership. In 1987, Krukow helped lead the Giants to their first division championship in 16 years.
- See also: 1987 National League Championship Series
On June 30, 1989, Krukow underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff in his pitching shoulder after spending parts of three seasons on the disabled list for what was believed to be bursitis. He retired in March 1990. In his 14-season career, Krukow posted a 124-117 record with 1,478 strikeouts and a respectable 3.90 ERA in 2190.1 innings pitched.
[edit] Broadcaster
After his playing career, Krukow became a radio and television sportscaster. Mike Krukow began broadcasting as an occasional color analyst for KNBR radio in 1990 and became a full-time broadcaster in 1994. He is a five-time Emmy award winner. "Kruk," who was named as the starting right-handed pitcher to the 1980s Giants All- Decade Team in a vote by Bay Area media in 1999, is noted for his deep knowledge of the game and tremendous sense of humor.[1]
Part of the San Francisco Giants broadcasting team, Krukow is half of the duo dubbed "Kruk and Kuip," along with partner Duane Kuiper, a former Giants' infielder. Krukow and Kuiper tape a game day commentary ("Kruk and Kuip on baseball") for KNBR radio as part of the Giants' pre-game radio coverage.
"Kruk" is known for his unique baseball vocabulary, especially his signature phrase when an opposing team's rookie hitter strikes out:
| “ | "Grab some pine, meat!" | ” |
The phrase "grab some pine" comes from the implication that after a hitter strikes out he will go take a seat on the bench in the dugout, which is traditionally made of pine. The term "meat" refers to a rookie player in the sense that he is "fresh meat".
He is also known for opening post-game wrap-ups of extremely close or stressful games with the phrase:
| “ | "Just another - ha ha ha ha - laugher!" | ” |
In addition, Krukow is often teased by his broadcasting colleagues throughout the major leagues for having "majestic hair".
[edit] The Barry Bonds steroid controversy
Prior to Barry Bonds indictment for perjury (in late 2007) and inclusion in George J. Mitchell's report regarding steroids in Major League Baseball (released on December 13, 2007), Krukow staunchly defended Bonds against allegations of Bonds' steroid use as described in Game of Shadows (a 2006 book about performance-enhancing drug use among high level athletes). Krukow even went so far as to publicly describe pitcher Curt Schilling as a "horse's ass" in response to Schilling's own public reference to Bonds' steroid usage.
[edit] The "Krukow Kurse"
Major League Baseball has a number of legends (Sports-related curses) used to explain a team's failure to win the World Series over an extended period of time. The Boston Red Sox have the Curse of the Bambino (the Red Sox went more than eighty years without a World Series win), the Chicago Cubs have the Curse of the Billy Goat (the Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908) and some say the San Francisco Giants have the "Krukow Kurse".[2][3][4] (the Giants have not won a World Series since they moved to San Francisco). The "Krukow Kurse" pseudo-legend arises from the fact that while Krukow has historically been optimistic about the Giants' chances at the beginning of each season, the team has not lived up to Krukow's predictions for them. Once the broadcaster ceases his lofty preseason predictions (say the few who subscribe to the legend) the Giants will actually win the World Series. Part of the lore of the Krukow Kurse arises from the fact that Krukow was originally drafted by, and played for, the Chicago Cubs (a team that is itself hexed by The Curse of the Billy Goat). The Curse of the Billy Goat indicates, among other things, that former Cubs players who move on to other teams will inevitably curse the new team (the Ex-Cubs Factor).
[edit] "Eliminate me"
On the June 14, 2005, game against the Minnesota Twins, Krukow noticed that Twins' announcer Bert Blyleven, himself a former Major League Baseball pitcher, used the telestrator to circle fans at their request for recognition. Krukow developed a spin off of this "Circle Me, Bert" feature by using his telestrator to "eliminate" spectators, whiting them out — either those who also request the treatment by waving signs onscreen, or because the fan or fans are behaving in ways he dislikes, such as talking on a cell phone during a game or wearing Los Angeles Dodgers gear at the Giants' home, AT&T Park.
[edit] Video games
Krukow and Kuiper can be heard as the commentators in Electronic Arts video games MVP Baseball 2003, 2004 and 2005. The 2004 and 2005 versions included Krukow's familiar "grab some pine, meat" quote.
[edit] Personal
Krukow resides in San Luis Obispo, California, with his wife, Jennifer, and their five children, Jarek, Baker, Tessa, Chase and Weston. In his spare time he enjoys reading, bicycling and drinking Coronas on the beach.
[edit] Trivia
- Though he was a pitcher and his announcing partner was a position player, Kruk has 4 more career home runs than Kuip (who has one).
[edit] Reference notes
[edit] External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
- The Buddy System: Long-lasting friendship between Krukow, Kuiper comes across the airwaves
