John Kruk - From First Base to the Booth

Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty ImagesOn a warm winter morning in Mexico, a young John Kruk awoke to the sound of waves lapping the shore. He sat up and looked around. Sand. Seagulls. Memory of the night before was amorphous, disjointed. He remembered tequila shots. But he didn’t recall falling asleep on a beach.

For most people, this moment would provoke reflection and perhaps a reevaluation of one’s life choices.

But not so for John Kruk. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. He was south of the border playing winter ball in a Mexican league. As a minor league player for San Diego, he was dedicated to working every day to stay sharp and continue improving.

But from then on he would avoid…