Well, it's been a long time coming for the Great one a to have another man in Dodger blue, and the one and only Harvard Westlake Jack Flaherty is with the Dodgers. Finally, Jack number one. Just your thoughts and emotions putting on this uniform today.
I had special you know, growing up, and obviously you know everybody knows. I grew up Dodger fan. My mom's put the pictures out. We used to come to games, and it's a special thing. I think anybody, anytime anybody gets to play for a team that they grew up watching is is special. And I'm you know, I'm lucky enough to be here and be in this situation and I'm just looking forward to it.
Did you ever believe that this could happen, that you and the Dodgers would find your way to pitch for them one day?
You know, you like to hope, So you like to hope that you know, there's there's there's gonna be a chance, and there's going to be an opportunity for it to happen, and you know, for it to all come about in the way that it did and the way that that things happen. Sometimes you're just just thankful that that you get the ability to do it.
It's got to feel good that people are seeing the real Jack Flaherty this year being healthy, right.
Yeah, it's it's nice to be healthy and nice go out and pitch the way that I know I'm capable of. Last year was a tough year in a long year, but it's it's been a good, you know, start to the year. But there's a lot love to do.
How have you handled this? I mean, you're on your fourth team in the last year. Obviously you're wanted, but how have you handled all the travel and the changes as far as teammates, teams all that.
I think this one's definitely a little different. Having done it a year ago going to Baltimore and I didn't
really know anybody over there. I've been lucky enough to have some relationships with some of the guys here and walking in feeling a little bit more familiar and knowing some guys and seeing some faces that you know, you've you've rather known around the league or just have been able to, you know, be in contact with and you know some other guys who you know aren't you know here right now, but that've gotten to know throughout the year, so it's it's a little bit different and you just
kind of walk in here and feel comfortable, and you know, he just he look forward to getting things going.
Hey, you're reinacited with your guy Tommy Edmond too.
That's that's crazy. Yeah, seeing him, I ain't seen him in a while. Uh, you know, it's cool for him being down here. I know he's from from from around here, so he's really good to see him. And just uh, now, it's always special being with the guys that you've played with or guys that you know, and just you know, having having those relationships.
What can you share with us about Tommy Edmund? We know a lot about Jack Flaherty, but how do you believe he helps the team get to where they want to go.
I think he's shown it in Saint Louis. He'll do anything to help the team win. The guy on a gold glove at second base, and uh, you know, then they kind of moved him around. He came up playing you know, he played right, he played third, he played a little bit a second when when Wong was hurt, and then uh, he just kind of did it all and then you know, they moved him to short. They
moved him to center. Like he can play of your position, he can do it really really well, and he'll continue just gonna do whatever it takes to to kind of help the team win. And that's that's the kind of guy that you want.
Jack Flaherty is back home wearing Dodger blue. When you were growing up a Dodger fan, who was your guy? Because I know you must have had a guy, you know when.
I was super young, Uh, Adrian Beltray was always fun to watch and I and I just told told, uh, Matt Kempis last night. I said, I told him that
he was like the guy that I loved watching. I was a little bit older and like you know, in high school, but he was, uh when he was when he was here and in president and doing what he was doing, he was, Uh, he was special and so much fun to watch and and root four and like, you know, I was playing position at that time, and you know, want to be like kind of be like him and didn't play the game the way that he did.
So those two guys, Beltray when I was younger, and then you know, Matt kemp Is as I got a little bit older.
So you're saying Matt Kemp reached out to you to welcome you to the Dotor.
I reached out to him and let him know. It was something that I don't tell people that a whole lot. And the second, you know, I got a chance to come here, I I I told him, I just said, now that I get a chance to wear it, Tod, you know, let you know that you uh like you were the guy that was it was fun to watch and was uh it was special special to see and he said congrats, and you know, just uh yeah, it was special.
Also when you let your mom know that you were being traded to the Dodgers, what was her reaction.
Uh, you know, she's mom, so she's uh, she got really excited. She gets she's emotional, so so she got emotional and just like I don't you know, she kind of didn't know if it was ever really gonna happen, and uh, you know, I think she was always she has hope for it. You want to always nice to to come home. It was always nice to come home and play in La and have the family come out
and everything. But I think it was a little different hearing, like, you know, being able to do it and coming up growing up watching you know, this team and getting the chance to do it, and then you know, same thing
to my brother. He sent me a nice long message last night too of just like he's like, I didn't know if it was ever gonna happen, but he's like, I'm really happy I get to actually, you know, cheer for the Dodgers and like cheer for you and not get Yeah, nicely, heckled when I when I met games, Uh, cheering for me going against him. So he's he's looking forward to it too.
All right, before I let you go number one, you chose the jersey number zero? What's the meaning behind that?
There's two there's two guys that I've always loved that play basketball that wear the number zero at I you know, one of them, you know, being Russ westbring me. He came out to l a well, first off, this in this becoming organization like this, and you've got a lot of Vetteran guys, so a bunch of really good numbers are taken, and uh, you know, it's just like it's it's slim pickings. But Danny was nice enough to let
me take zero from him. But Russ worett. And then there's another guy out and uh, you know, in Boston, and I know how I know how it is l a in Boston, so I won't I won't say his name. He knows who he is. He's a friend of mine. He he he wears zero as well. So it was, uh, it was uh yeah, it just just kind of felt like it fit.
He's got mom but mentality and I know you do too.
You know what, you just you go out there and they just pitch a little bit edge and trying to keep that going.
Yeah, Dodgers need some edge. Jack Flaherty brings it every time out. Thanks a lot for the time. Great to share you with the people on the streets of Ventura Boulevard right now listening, and great to have you back in Los Angeles and pitching for the Dodgers. For sure.
I'm excited. I'm really really excited. I it's gonna be fun.