Fat, Drunk and Endearing: A Look Back at the ’93 Phillies Season

Jayson Stark: They started complaining that as the phenomenon of that team grew, too many members of the media were loitering in the clubhouse. So Dutch made a deal that he’d come out and talk to us if we agreed not to loiter. He was willing to take on that role to make everyone else’s lives easier. John Kruk is an exceptionally entertaining man, but he’d be the first to tell you that he didn’t enjoy talking to the media. And he wasn’t alone there.

Tommy Greene: One of Mitch’s shirts said, “Shut Up and Play.”

Mike Missanelli: They were just a nasty bunch of guys. When I think about it, I think that was a reflection of insecurity, because none of them were stars. They had to create a niche to be a good team. And one of those was this “us vs. them” mentality. They were loved by the fans, so they didn’t care what the media thought of them.

Jayson Stark: I didn’t pester them with the stuff they didn’t want to be pestered with. I imagine not all of my fellow sportswriters would agree they were the most fun team to be around.

Mike Missanelli: The king rat, and I don’t really mean that affectionately, was Jim Fregosi.

Howard Eskin: Fregosi and I didn’t see eye-to-eye. If there’s anyone on that team that held a grudge, it was Fregosi. He didn’t like the media, and he let us know it.

Jim Fregosi: I really never had any problem whatsoever with the print media. A lot of the writers are still my very good friends. As for the other media, I don’t think there’s anyone that hasn’t had a fucking problem with the other media in Philadelphia. I don’t think anyone has to put up with that type of aggravation.

John Kruk: He managed the people, not the team.

Mitch Williams, closer: The credit Fregosi should get is that he put his guys in a position to have success. Because he took the time to get to know all of his players.

Jim Fregosi: I could tell Daulton something, and he would take it into the clubhouse. I was hands-off, but completely hands-on.

Dave Hollins:Jim Fregosi’s only two rules were show up on time and hustle.

Mike Missanelli: Jim Fregosi was this hard-school baseball guy who gave you the impression that he invented the game and no one knew more than him. He was like a nastier Tony La Russa.

John Kruk: If he had disciplined one of us, he’d have had to discipline all 25 of us. I couldn’t imagine a curfew with that team. A lot of managers now wouldn’t put up with the stuff we did.

A.J. Daulerio: You always hear about the beer in the clubhouse and stuff. I don’t think it made them any more endearing. I think people just loved that John Kruk was fat.

Randy Miller, author, Harry the K: The Remarkable Life of Harry Kalas: Harry really related to that 1993 team. It was basically the only team ring he wore. There were times when John Kruk wouldn’t take the bus back with the team. They’d be in New York, and Harry and Kruk would have a limo for the trip home. Harry would ask Kruk if he’d “packed the gear”—meaning beer and cigarettes.