Jack Flaherty’s story has so many elements of a classic coming-of-age sports movie that you almost feel like you should be able to predict the ending.
The best player on the “Sandlot” growing up to play for the Dodgers? It being set in the Valley, a la “Karate Kid” and “Bad News Bears”? The backdrop being a famously competitive Little League that produced TV stars like Tom Selleck and All-Stars like Jack McDowell, that was dominated for a spell by a pitcher who damn right threw like a girl, the real-life Amanda Whurlitzer – known to Flaherty and his generation as Marti Sementelli.
Those Sherman Oaks Little Leaguers remember her, and she remembers them too – Flaherty especially: “One of those kids that was like, ‘You gotta watch out for him, ’cause he’s gonna be something.’”
I imagine everyone who played with or against that famously intense little Flaherty fellow remembers, and that they’ve all been tuned in since July, when he was traded from Detroit to L.A., a Boy in Blue at 28.
That they’ll be on the edge of their seats watching him take the mound Sunday at Dodger Stadium, the site of Harvard-Westlake High School’s CIF Southern Section Division I championship in 2017, when Flaherty singled in the game’s only run and pitched an eight-strikeout shutout.
Dodgers acquire Jack Flaherty from Studio City Harvard-Westlake & Sherman Oaks Little League.
Welcome home, @jflare_ https://t.co/GtmwYhgv49 pic.twitter.com/NxTcXtt92n
— L.A. in a Minute (@LaInaMinute) July 30, 2024
This time, Flaherty can play the hometown hero in Game 2 of the best-of-five National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres.
Not sure how far we can push this dream sequence before producers reject the script as being too far-fetched, but it feels like Flaherty is eager to find out.
Because when Mookie Betts had Flaherty on his podcast and mentioned “how tough it’s going to be” to have to perform in the postseason in front of the hometown fans, the pitcher shook him off: “Yeah, it’s fun.”
“That’s what you qualify as fun?” Betts asked. (The two-time World Series winner and 2018 American League MVP who’s slumped in his past couple postseasons used a different word: “Stress.”)
“Yeah, 100%, that’s what it is… it’s fun, man,” said Flaherty, who is 1-3 with an 3.60 ERA in five postseason appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals and Baltimore Orioles. “It’s going to be high-intensity, pressure-filled, like, a lot of fun.”
Cinema, you might say.
Since joining the Dodgers, the right-hander has a 3.58 ERA in 55⅓ innings over 10 starts, wielding his slider and perhaps his most noteworthy ability – availability.
“I think everyone deep down wants to play for their hometown team,” Flaherty told reporters after being traded. “Getting the opportunity to is just special.”
It’s been special for his oldest fans too, people like Jason Drantch, who played with Flaherty on a different Dodgers team – the one that won the District 40 Little League Tournament of Champions title in 2005.
Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty, far left in the second row, was the youngest and best player on the Sherman Oaks Little League team that won the District 40 Little League Tournament of Champions title in 2005, as recalled by former teammate Jason Drantch, third from left in the second row. (Photo courtesy of Jason Drantch)
Flaherty was the youngest – 8 or 9 – and best and most intense player on that team, recalled Drantch, a former first baseman who was, at 11, the oldest.
“It was pretty clear at that young age that he had a future in the game,” said Drantch, who gives the Dodgers two thumbs-up for changing their minds and deciding to give Flaherty the Game 2 start, because that’s the game for which Drantch has tickets.
“When he was on the mound, I just remember the fear the other kids seemed to have. That intensity, he brought that to the mound and you did not want to face him; you did not want to step into the box against him. I’m glad I didn’t have to, because it didn’t look fun.
“That team we were on, we were very successful,” added Drantch, now a sports producer at KTLA. “And that was because of him. He led the way in that regard and it was a great honor to be a part of it.”
Marti Sementelli dominated my little league. Yes she’s a girl. Yes she’s better than Mo’Ne
— Jack Flaherty (@jflare_) February 14, 2015
Sementelli was a couple years older than Flaherty and didn’t face him until high school, as she continued her historic baseball career into college and then with Team USA.
She also remembers Flaherty’s heart-on-his-sleeve passion, and his prowess at shortstop and as a hitter before he narrowed his focus to pitching in high school – a decision that worked out well, as she watched first-hand this season.
When Flaherty threw 6⅔ innings of no-hit ball May 30 at Fenway Park, Sementelli was there, in the press box, working as one of Major League Baseball’s data operations staffers.
“I’m inputting all the live-game updates into the MLB website, tracking every single pitch … and thinking, ‘How ironic, that we both came from Sherman Oaks, playing really competitive Little League baseball,’” she said. “‘And how cool would it be if I worked Jack Flaherty’s no-hitter?’ ”
She could have imagined he’d have nights like that, she said. But watching him now, it’s his staying power that really impresses her: “Not just to make the majors, but to be very successful? Making The Show and being someone that people want on your team, that’s a big-time pitcher? He’s become that guy in the majors. That’s super cool.”
“And it isn’t easy, no matter how good you are,” said Harvard-Westlake athletic director Matt LaCour, who in 2021 became only high school coach to have three former teammates make opening-day starts in the same season, when Flaherty (St. Louis Cardinals), Lucas Giolito (Chicago White Sox) and Max Fried (Atlanta Braves) did it.
The 34th overall pick out of high school in 2014, Flaherty made his big-league debut in 2017 and in 2019 logged a 2.75 ERA in 196⅓ innings and finished fourth in NL Cy Young award voting.
He wasn’t as sharp in the short 2020 season and then was hindered by shoulder issues. He still didn’t have his best stuff in 2023, when the Cardinals traded him to the Baltimore Orioles, who moved him to the bullpen.
“How you adapt and how you persevere is how you’re ultimately going to be successful,” LaCour said. “And the way Jack has done, it’s a great reminder to guys that are younger … you’re going to hit a spot where you’re not the best, or people have caught you. It’s what you do from there to separate yourself again that’s really important.”
After signing a one-year, $14 million contract as a free agent last offseason, Flaherty became an All-Star candidate and dependable No. 2 starter for the Tigers, with an 11-8 record and ERA (2.95) that was in the top 10 among AL pitchers.
And then, at the trade deadline, Detroit swapped him for a pair of Dodgers’ minor-league prospects.
Now the stage is set, perhaps, for a real-life Hollywood ending. Get your popcorn ready.
“I’ve had some conversations over the last couple days with some family and some people close to me, just kind of putting it all into perspective and how kind of surreal and just crazy of an opportunity it is – being from here, growing up here, coming to games here,” Flaherty said Saturday, before Game 1. “It’s just a lot of fun, at the end of the day.
“I was looking back, like little young me, if I was to tell myself this: What would like 8-year-old me say? It would be pretty cool. So I’m just trying to enjoy it.”
Circa 1997 …. Let’s Go!!! pic.twitter.com/YlI39KIx3Q
— Eileen Flaherty (@JackandGradyMom) July 30, 2024
Jack Flaherty really put on a show on the mound at Dodger Stadium on Sunday and then popped out to the LA Sparks game and did a jersey swap with Cameron Brink!
You love to see two new stars in Los Angeles connect like this
Via Sparks, Dodgers. pic.twitter.com/7xpMsFuceA
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) September 9, 2024
Jack Flaherty, who grew up idolizing Kobe Bryant, on the opportunity to pitch on 8/24: “It still doesn’t feel real, what happened all those months ago. To pitch today is special, and there’s really no other way to put it.” #STLCards pic.twitter.com/f6rXfIGway
— Bally Sports Midwest (@BallySportsMW) August 25, 2020