Phillies legend John Kruk is excited for the 2023 Major League Baseball season.
The Philadelphia Phillies had plenty to be thankful for on Thanksgiving — especially since they were just weeks removed from an improbable postseason run that ended two wins shy of a World Series championship against the Houston Astros.
Even though slugger Bryce Harper will be sidelined for a considerable amount of time, fans and the organization alike are already optimistic for the 2023 season. Phillies legend John Kruk is no exception, as a Thanksgiving evening tweet from him suggests he is also eagerly counting down the days until Opening Day:
Not going to lie but this is the first time since I came back to the Phillies that I am excited for the upcoming season
— John Kruk (@JohnKruk) November 25, 2022
Kruk says that for the first time since he rejoined the Phillies broadcast team in January 2017, he is excited about the upcoming season.
Let’s face it, the Pete Mackanin-led Phillies went a horrific 66-96 in Kruk’s first season back in 2017, likely making him second-guess his decision to return to the team’s broadcast booth for the first time since 2003.
Then followed the disappointing Gabe Kapler and Joe Girardi years — and the pandemic season in between — before Rob Thomson took over midway through this past season and led the team on its eventual magical postseason run.
We see you. We hear you. And we're thankful for you.
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) November 24, 2022
Philly, we're so grateful to have all of your support each and every day. Thank you for always being with us. pic.twitter.com/xb0xkNFweH
With recently extended World Series-winning executive Dave Dombrowski at the helm of the front office, there is no reason for Kruk nor anyone else to not have optimism for the 2023 season.
Not to mention, the Phillies likely will have plenty in store to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the 1993 National League championship team — during which Kruk posted career bests with a .316 batting average and a .430 on-base percentage. Next season will also mark 20 years since Kruk was named to the All-Vet Team, which honors the best Phillies players of each position who played at Veterans Stadium.
If the Phils can at least mirror the success of their 1993 and 2022 National League championship teams — and possibly go the distance with the franchise’s third-ever championship — the 2023 season would undoubtedly be one to forever remember for Kruk and company.