John Kruk, as interviewed by the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Mark Narducci.

Kruk has great respect for Peter Gammons and displayed tremendous rapport with Harold Reynolds on the set. Reynolds and Kruk clicked because Reynolds was more laid back, as opposed to the intense Kruk. They often got into spirited and comical debates. Reynolds seemed to know which buttons to push to get Kruk going.

“Not having Peter and Harold has made it tougher,” Kruk said. “Thank goodness Peter is doing well from all we hear. But, as former players you are used to everybody coming in and out. Participating in sports prepares you for people not being there.”

In other words, despite the losses, the show, like the game he used to play, must go on. And Kruk is even more enthused because so many teams in both leagues remain in playoff contention.

“Almost every game we give highlights of is a meaningful game,” Kruk said. “I think it makes for better baseball and television when this is the case.”

Can you imagine how amazing television would become — to say nothing of Kruk’s analysis — if Baseball’s path to parity led to every team holding a .500 record? Every game would be meaningful, much like every word that escaped from the Krukster’s mouth.