European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday May 20, 1992 the stars and stripes pm a a 25baseballthe Drukker carves Niche in Philly by Claire Smith John Kruk leaned against the Back of the batting Cage on the Field at veterans stadium in Philadelphia intently watching his Phillie teammates hit. Suddenly a High pitched voice caught his ear a sound emanating from the area behind the Cage where the visiting san Francisco giants were doing their stretching exercises. Will Clark san Francisco Sall Star first baseman was doing what he does almost As Well As he hits chirping away. Kruk turned but not to acknowledge Clark. Instead he set his eyes on a Phillie employee charged with caring for the clubhouse needs of visiting players and yelled a a who a next up Gwynn was in Here now Clark. Who a next a it was in Kruks inimitable fashion a Way of paying homage san Diego a Tony Gwynn and san Francisco Sclark the National leagues finest in terms of future hitters were gracing Philadelphia ast week. But Kruk was also acknowledging something else in an incredulous and humorous fashion that he not Gwynn not Clark was the Batter setting the most torrid hitting Pace in the league so far in 1992. Clark never one to miss a beat quickly pointed out that Kruk looked Well a a portly in his Phillies uniform. A Check i know in a no poster boy like dutch a Kruk parried referring As he often does to his teammate Darren Daulton the Square Jawed Phillies Catcher with Hollywood looks. A Well As Long As you re hitting them line drives who cares what you look like a Clark said. Indeed Kruk houses a player of considerable Talent in his Stout 5-foot-10-Inch, 200-plus-Pound Frame As his league leading .383 average attests. That his appearance misleadingly suggests otherwise however cannot be denied. His Girth reminds one of the actor John Goodman his face is that of a Young Don Zimmer or on particularly grizzled Days Wallace Beery. Throw in Kruks Down Home West Virginia cadence self deprecating humor and certain shyness and what you have is As unique a Folk hero As this Tough sports town has seen in years. Quot one of the things about the Phillies fans is that As Long As they think you re busting your butt and giving it everything you be got they la support you a said Dallas Green a former Phillies player and manager and a fan favorite who scouts games Here for the mets. A not surprisingly they love the Drukker because that a what he gives them. They re the first group to take to a play Phillip so John Kruk has set the most torrid hitting Pace of 1992. Or like that just the Way  let a phony a surface Guy know he a not fooling  that Kruk displays the work ethic that philadelphian adore is no Accident. He is driven to play that Way largely because it is the Only Way he has been Able to overcome obscurity As Well As pre conceived notions about physique. Kruk was born in Charleston w. Va., 31 years ago and he knew Early on that it would take such a Blue Collar approach to avoid a Blue Collar existence in the paper Mill town of Keyser w. Va., where he grew up. He does no to remember being scouted he said let alone offered wheelbarrows of Money by the pros. A Check i done to even think they knew How to get to where i was a Kruk said. In fact the player said no one was More surprised than he was when he picked up the local newspaper and saw that he Nad been drafted in the third round of the secondary phase of the 1981 june free agent draft by the san Diego padres. Still Kruk bad what he wanted most a Chance at the major leagues. A a it Sall in be Ever wanted to do Quot lie said. It would take nearly a decade for Kruk to fight through the doubts held by others to shake the raps that he  hit left handers or that he was just a part time player. So he worked hard and still docs to this Day on an approach to the game that is More studious than Kruk Ever purposely leads one to believe. If he is not out five or six hours before a game talking baseball he son the Field taking extra hitting. Kruk thinks and breathes the game. Quot he keeps it real simple kind of a Sce Ball hit Ball approach a said Goose Gossage the Relief Pitcher who served As a Mentor of sorts to Kruk when both played for the padres. A the has natural instincts things that can to be  it is also an uncomplicated a give me a Beer and a pizza approach a Gossage said and one that is obviously working for Kruk. Entering this season he already had a respectable .291 career average. Thus far this season his average has not slipped below .379, and he has led the league in hitting since april 22. The Phillies having acquired Kruk As a role player along with Randy ready in a Trade for Chris James in 1989, clearly no longer View him As a part timer. In fact until he was forced to leave sundays game in the seventh inning with a strained left Groin Kruk had not missed an inning this season. That he plays All his assigned positions a first base and left and right Fields a Well does not Hurt him either. Kruk has played 85 games in a Row without an error dating to aug. 10, 1991. Kruk would have you believe that this has All come together in spite of the packaging. But said his manager Jim Fregosi a the likes to give that certain image but he makes very few mistakes a and that includes every aspect of the  Fregosi said he believes Kruk derives these skills partly because a a he a a clubhouse  Kruk is one of the first into the clubhouse one of the last to leave. It is his Comfort zone Kruk explained a where we talk a lot of  Kruk also talks baseball something he Learned from Gossage. A Goose talked All the time a on the bus on the plane out to dinner Over a Beer a Kruk said. A the talked about How to play the game about what it  naw York to Moa Nawa Sar Voca Pagnozzi indispensable to cards Torre says St. Louis apr Tom Pagnozzi Wasny to a regular in the big leagues until he was 28. One year later the Catcher is the St. Louis cardinals indispensable Man. A a he a the one player we can ill afford to lose a cardinals manager Joe Torre said. Torres not the Only one saying that. Even Pagnozzi s old manager Whitey Herzog admits he was wrong in his assessment that Pagnozzi would be Only a Good backup. Quot they better Hope that Pagnozzi does no to get Hurt said Herzog now a vice president with the California Angels. The kind words Are partly a commentary on Pagnoz zips ability and partly a commentary on the ability if backup Rich gedman who has a poor Arm and is hitting .107 since joining the team last season. Still Pagnozzi is moving in fast company. Last year he won his first Gold Glove and this season he ii Likely earn his first All Star berth. A a in a give anything to go a Pagnozzi said. A shut in in not planning on living off my  Pagnozzi has one of the Best arms in the major leagues throwing out 47 percent of runners attempting to steal last season. He unseated san Diego a Benito Santiago to win the Gold Glove. A i was shocked a he said. A once you be won it you usually have to do something to lose it. I guess in in Lucky the coaches and managers voted for it instead of the fans because they did no to know who i  now he a also one of the top hitters for the cardinals who Are challenging Pittsburgh for the no Hast Lead. He a using a heavier Bat this season and through monday was batting .3fxj with 13 Bis and eight doubles tied for the team Lead. None of it is going to his head. Quot ill always remember the bad Days because they weren t too Long ago a Pagnozzi said. A a in la always be a backup player at  in his first three seasons with the cardinals he had a total of 323 at bats and was relegated to second string duty behind Tony Pena then Todd Zeile. Pagnozzi got his first Chance to play regularly when Torre was hired As manager in August 1990 and moved Zeile to third base. Last year Pagnozzi hit .264 with 57 Bis providing occasional offence from the Bottom of the batting order and stole nine bases. After the season he agreed to a $967,500 contract after filing for arbitration. A i done to think i could have written it any better the Way things turned out personally a Pagnozzi said. A what in be always strive for is being consistent and contributing on offence and defense and i think i did that but in a not satisfied by any