WEBVTT - Jack Dreyer (7-26-26) 

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<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talk.

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<v Speaker 1>The Dodgers are wrapping up this nine game road trip

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<v Speaker 1>as they get set for first pitch against the Mets,

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<v Speaker 1>and we're joined right now by one of my favorite

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<v Speaker 1>Dodger relievers. In fact, I kind of identify I've gravitated

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<v Speaker 1>towards the bullpen this year, There's no doubt about it.

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<v Speaker 1>Jack Dryer is our guest. Jack, thanks a lot for

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<v Speaker 1>the time, appreciate.

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<v Speaker 2>It absolutely, Thank you for having me.

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<v Speaker 1>What's these ten days been like for you and the

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<v Speaker 1>rest of the relievers that started at Yankee Stadium and

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<v Speaker 1>ending up now in City Field.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I mean, coming off of the All Star Break,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, it's been a while since some of us

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<v Speaker 2>have been home now, so I'm just excited to continue playing,

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<v Speaker 2>playing good baseball and then wrap up the long road

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<v Speaker 2>trip and get back to La Jack.

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<v Speaker 1>Over the years, I've heard baseball teams say road trips

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<v Speaker 1>like this on the East Coast really brings the team

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<v Speaker 1>closer together. Has that happened with the Dodgers. I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>you guys are a close knit group to begin with,

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<v Speaker 1>but has this solidified all that? Yeah?

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<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, I think Yeah, like you said, we're already very

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<v Speaker 2>close as a team. But you know, this much time

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<v Speaker 2>on the road gives you plenty of opportunity to go

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<v Speaker 2>explore the city together, you know, try different foods, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>whatever it is. So it's definitely fun to be able

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<v Speaker 2>to spend some time away from the field with the guys.

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<v Speaker 1>Jack. This season, it's been an interesting one because last

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<v Speaker 1>year it never felt like you had major speed bumps

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<v Speaker 1>in your rookie season. This year, how did you get

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<v Speaker 1>through the speed bumps?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, it's continuing to harp on the things that

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<v Speaker 2>I talked about last year, which is, you know, focus

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<v Speaker 2>on what you can control. You know, in the big

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<v Speaker 2>leagues there's a lot of noise going on, whether or

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<v Speaker 2>it's social media or things you see online, whatever it is,

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<v Speaker 2>and so just focusing on what you can control and

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<v Speaker 2>putting your head down and just stacking one day at

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<v Speaker 2>a time, that's all you can do.

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<v Speaker 1>When you would have tough outings, where would you go,

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<v Speaker 1>how would you deal with it?

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<v Speaker 2>When?

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<v Speaker 1>When would you be able to get your mind clear?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah? You know, it's being able to lean on different people.

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<v Speaker 2>So first and foremost my wife being able to go

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<v Speaker 2>to her and you know, kind of talk about something

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<v Speaker 2>other than baseball is very helpful. But then you know,

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<v Speaker 2>the coaching staff, teammates, review sessions about the outing and

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<v Speaker 2>then looking forward to the next out and coming up.

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<v Speaker 2>Just all of those things are really important. And so

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<v Speaker 2>that goes back to, you know, showing how close the

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<v Speaker 2>team is because you can have those conversations with pretty

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<v Speaker 2>much anybody that you want.

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<v Speaker 1>To What was it besides the mental part of the game.

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<v Speaker 1>Did you make a significant adjustment to your mechanics? Because

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<v Speaker 1>I'm not a pitching coach, but I could just tell you,

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<v Speaker 1>and I've told the listeners that you starting to look

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<v Speaker 1>like Jack Dryer again.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know, it's kind of a boring answer, but

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<v Speaker 2>I really think like the answer is in the details

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<v Speaker 2>of the mental preparation. And so, you know, the lowest

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<v Speaker 2>hanging fruit for improvement, I think is always going to

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<v Speaker 2>be the mental game. Whether it's a mechanical shift or

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<v Speaker 2>a pitch selection shift, or you know, anything it is,

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<v Speaker 2>it all goes back to your mentality and your conviction,

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<v Speaker 2>and so just continuing to get better at that and

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<v Speaker 2>you know, ensuring that I'm convicted every time I go

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<v Speaker 2>out on the mound because I have the best defense

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<v Speaker 2>in the world behind me, great catchers calling games like

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<v Speaker 2>there's there's nowhere I'd rather be plying.

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<v Speaker 1>Jack Dryer is our guest in front of first pitch

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<v Speaker 1>between the Dodgers and Mets. All right, preparation. It feels

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<v Speaker 1>like preparation helps a pitcher on the mound, not panic,

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<v Speaker 1>because if you're prepared, you know where to go. Have

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<v Speaker 1>you found that more this year?

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<v Speaker 2>Yes? Absolutely. I think preparation just gives you the opportunity

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<v Speaker 2>for you know, when when something arises, you know how

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<v Speaker 2>to handle it because in your preparation, you've handled it before.

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<v Speaker 2>And so it just allows you to not experience something

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<v Speaker 2>for the first time. It makes you feel like you've

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<v Speaker 2>done it before, whether it's good or bad, or even

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<v Speaker 2>if it is new. And so I think I think

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<v Speaker 2>that's the most beneficial part of the preparation is is

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<v Speaker 2>you know you're you're essentially training yourself to experience something

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<v Speaker 2>that you're going to experience in the future.

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<v Speaker 1>Jack Dryer is our guest, and before I let you go.

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<v Speaker 1>The first day here at City Field, we talked to

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<v Speaker 1>Will Klein, who talked to Clayton Kershaw at the White

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<v Speaker 1>House and Kershaw asked him, why are you throwing sidearm now,

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<v Speaker 1>which means that his arm slot was lower. Did pitching

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<v Speaker 1>coach Kershaw give you any sort of observational advice?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, first of all, I was very happy to see him,

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<v Speaker 2>and you know, gave each other a hug, and he

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<v Speaker 2>just said, hey, man, you're throwing kind of hard now,

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<v Speaker 2>and so I took that as a compliment. But again

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<v Speaker 2>it's just, you know, I think he is the you know,

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<v Speaker 2>kind of the blueprint for how you should handle your

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<v Speaker 2>preparation and he did it better than anybody for eighteen years. So,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, just continuing to handle your preparation and good

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<v Speaker 2>things will happen in the game.

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<v Speaker 1>So does that mean you're throwing harder than you were

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<v Speaker 1>last year or does it mean you're throwing harder than

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<v Speaker 1>you were earlier this season?

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<v Speaker 2>Both. I've thrown harder than I've ever thrown in my

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<v Speaker 2>entire life this year. So just continuing to trend in

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<v Speaker 2>the right.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, Jack, I know you guys like to keep

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<v Speaker 1>it close to the vest. We'll leave it right there.

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<v Speaker 1>Thanks a lot for the time. Always great to catch

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<v Speaker 1>up with you.

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<v Speaker 2>Thank you for having me