John Kruk provided the first great announcer’s jinx of the young MLB season.
The Phillies analyst mentioned how Cincinnati’s Spencer Steer had not yet hit a grand slam in his career when the utilityman stepped to the plate in the 10th inning with the bases loaded Monday night.
“No grand slams for Spencer Steer, let’s hope that continues,” Kruk said.
Moments later, disaster ensued — and Nick Castellanos wasn’t even involved.
“The 2-1, fly ball, left field, pretty well hit, [Whit] Merrifield going back, it is … gone. A grand slam for Spencer Steer,’” Phillies play-by-play man Tom McCarthy said after Steer’s grand slam proved the difference in Cincinnati’s 6-3 win. “And the Reds have busted it open in the 10th, they’re on top, 6-2. ””No grand slams for Spencer Steer, let’s hope that continues”
Announcers are in damned-if-they-do, damned-if-they-don’t situations with potential jinxes, and there are plenty of times when a possible jinx doesn’t come to fruition.
But Kruk didn’t have that luck in the series opener at Citizens Bank Park.
Spencer Steer hit a grand slam in the 10th inning Monday.
