It is Jackie Robinson Day at Dodgers Stadium, and I'm joined right now by one of those bullpen dogs that helped the Dodgers win the World Series last year. And it was his first experience wearing the forty two in a Dodger uniform on Jackie Robinson Day. And that's the great Michael Kopek. Michael, thanks a lot for the time, appreciate.
It, Thanks for having me.
What was it like for you? I mean, you've been in Major League Baseball with a couple of other teams on Jackie Robinson Day, But what was it like for you to experience what you did at the statue?
I mean, I think Jackie Robinson Day and gen was.
Just like a really special day to baseball. You know, it shows, you know, not only the history of our country and the growth of this game all in one, but it encapsulates a great player breaking through that. But you know, wearing forty two on your back, you know, and in a different uniform, it doesn't hit quite as hard as wearing it in the Dodger blue. And then it's cool we have the Brooklyn hat today. But yeah, being
out there hearing how close uh kareem story? Is to Jackie, not not in similarities, but how close their their relationship actually overlapped. And then just to be able to experience, you know, the emotions of that and what it felt like to have you know, Dodger family and actually Jackie Robinson's family here.
It was just really cool. It's really special. So I was happy to be a part of it.
You have so many different backgrounds in that clubhouse. Do you believe what Kareem said and what Jackie Robinson day means resonates with everybody, no matter what their background is.
Yeah. Absolutely, you know, I think that.
We live in a much different generation than then, but in you know, all things considered, that wasn't that long ago. Yeah, So to have, you know, such a diverse clubhouse and the talents of this game being of all different nationalities, all different colors, and all different backgrounds, I think kind of, you know, is a testament to what he did to you know, his bravery.
Yeah.
How much did you know about Kareem Abdul Jabbar before today and just his connection to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
His connection to to to baseball in general. I didn't really know about, but to the Dodgers and too you know, to hear that he said that Jackie actually sent him a letter. Yeah, it is, you know, that's that's pretty cool. And to see the impact that that he made in the world through through his platform and what he was able to do, and that stemming from from Jackie Robinson. When it seems like he had already reached so many people, he found a way to reach even more through Kareem Abil Jabbar.
It's just it's it's kind of mind blowing.
Michael Kopek is our guest. Once all the speeches were done at the Jackie Robinson statue, Michael got back to business of pitching and I saw you throwing. You went out to throw a bullpen session. What can you share with us about where you're at physically?
I feel great.
I think that it's kind of a long road back, just you know, you know, building up, you know, whether whether you want to call it stamina or what have you like, just just building up to be able to pitch and pitching games again is kind of a long road. So it's only my second bullpen since I had a setback, but it felt great and I think there was a lot of a lot of promise in what I'm doing right now, but hopefully we can build off of that and keep going forward.
When you have a day like today, is there a sense of relief that your body is responding.
Yeah.
I think with a game in general, there's a lot of ups and downs. You know, I'm let's say I'm healthy right now and I'm pitching. I go out there and I can feel great for one game. In the next game maybe not so good, and you have to
find a way. There's a little bit of that when you're doing a rehab stent too, but you don't know if you're going to bounce back when you have a bad day and rehab, so it can be this roller coaster of emotions if you if you ride every single feeling of every single day, but to have a high day mix it that a little bit easier and you get to kind of just build off of that.
Like I said, I have so much respect for you and for all those guys in the bullpen last year that were pushed to the limits to try to win the World Series. You guys were able to do that. I haven't talked to you about this, but what you guys did as a group is unprecedented to carry a pitching staff that far. How proud are you of that? And I mean literally left your arm out on the mound last year.
Uh Yeah.
I think the main thing is I'm I'm incredibly grateful to be a part of a group that that was that was that special. You know, whether one guy did the job every single night, or you know, somebody needed to get picked up, like, we never shied away from that, and we had a group of guys that were willing to fight that battle all the way through. And to be a part of that group and a part of guys that are just so determined to win no matter you know, what the feeling is or what the situation is.
Like the World Series was the end goal and site and that was what we were all working towards. So to be a part of a group that worked that hard for it, I was incredibly proud of.
Michael Kopek's name will forever be part of Dodger history, part of those bullpen dogs. And it's scary to think that the bullpen's doing so well and you and Evan Phillips haven't even thrown one pitch yet.
Yeah, I'm really proud of those guys. I'm hoping Evan's back soon and seeming like he's getting close, so to add him to that mix, it's gonna.
Be really cool to see. Right now, I'm just kind of watching from a little bit of a.
Distance, but hopefully I'll start working my way back and I'll get to be part of that experience again.
Can't wait.
It's been so great getting to know you and just who you are, and obviously that comes out in a lot of different ways. So thank you for the time and can't wait to see you back out there.
Thank you appreciate it.