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What is a fond experience that you like to look back on from time to time while playing in the MLB?
BEACHY- I have so many fond memories. One of my first and favorite was getting called up during a playoff chase. Chipper had hurt his knee and was out for the year. First couple starts were on the road and when we got back home he introduced himself to me and asked if I had some time later he’d like to give me some notes on what he observed of me from his hitter’s perspective. Sadly, I didn’t have time. Yeah right, I was like, “are you kidding me, any time you would like Mr. Jones”. Having a hall of famer take the time to sit down with me, give me those incredible insights into what he saw, to help me and help the team - incredible. I was blown away and I’ll never forget how good Chipper always was to me.
What product (usually pink) are baseball players drinking from bottled water bottles in the dugout? Is it biosteel, cytomax? What is it?
BEACHY- If I remember correctly, I used to drink a “pre-workout” type drink called Fast Twitch that was pink. There are a limited number of NSF certified products so it wouldn’t surprise me if it were a newer certified BCAA supplement or hydration product similar to liquid IV.
How was your experience in the minor leagues? Did you have host families at each level or was it mostly you on your own?
BEACHY-
BEACHY- Kris, Jonny Venters and I all had multiples around the same time. I don’t think there was anything in the development that contributed. It’s clear now that rehab protocols have changed significantly since that time, but what we did was pretty standard for then. I think genetics plays a much larger role in those types of injuries than people realize.
Baseball Annie's - good thing, or the best thing?
BEACHY- Had to google this because I’ve honestly never heard the term. Cleat chasers was the term we used. I’d say sad thing. For everyone involved there.
1. Who was your favorite teammate? funniest teammate?
BEACHY- Favorite- Jonny Venters. Incredibly humble and kind. Pretty terrible jump shot though. One of best people ever. We lived together for several spring trainings. Funniest- Moylan and Ryan Buchter.
2. What is your favorite moment in the MLB? funniest moment?
BEACHY- Celebrating clinching a playoff spot in 2010 will always be up there. Funniest might’ve been during that celebration seeing one teammate on all fours and another kicking/stomping the booze-soaked carpet up into the other’s mouth. Just a wild and fun night after sitting around watching the Padres together after our game.
3. What was the experience like being there for Bobby Cox's final year?
BEACHY- It really was an honor and blessing to get called up and be a part of that. I’ll never forget him telling me I was getting the nod and doing so in a way that gave me a ton of completely unfounded confidence.
4. What is something about being a professional baseball player that most people don't know?
BEACHY- How irrationally confident it makes you haha. I heard serious conversations with guys that believed they could hit 200 mph fastballs if they saw it enough. And I swear I was 2 inches taller and helluva lot tougher as soon as put that jersey on.
5. What do you do these days?
BEACHY- After I finally decided I was done playing I spent a good amount of time trying to figure what I wanted to do next/could do next. I ended up getting into franchising by working with Andy at MyPerfectFranchise. I opened and own Koala Insulation of Nashville.
6. Besides the teammates/camaraderie, what do you miss most about your playing days?
BEACHY- I found that business ownership was more similar to sports than I expected. Hard work, resilience, coachability, team building and leadership got me to the majors and they have helped me quickly become the top performing franchise in the whole system.
I really wanted to succeed with my business because my main passion and goal was to help other transitioning athletes that were as lost as I was. I have built up my team so that I can essentially remove myself from the day-to-day operations and I spend my time now consulting.
Now, I help other athletes and people of all walks that are interested in business ownership, specifically franchising. I get to know them and match them with business that are perfect fits based on their true motivations, goals, strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. I would bet a lot against being in home insulation, but putting aside first impressions and looking into the business it was a perfect fit. It has been incredible for me and my family post baseball and now I’m working to help others achieve that as well.
Those are the big ones. Playing cards in the clubhouse or on late flights with the guys. Team dinners.
If not for the injuries how high do you think your ceiling was as a pitcher?
BEACHY- Hard to say. I was leading MLB in era when I blew out the first time. I had only been pitching a handful of years and was only my second full year as a starting pitcher and was still learning the craft. With perfect health I think I could have been a top 3 rotation piece on a good team for a long time. But you know, if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle.
Did you have any arm injuries in youth ball, travel ball or high school?
BEACHY- Never did. I also didn’t pitch after little league until a few innings my senior year of high school and then was a relief pitcher in college while being a full-time position player. If anything, my injuries could have been from underworking my arm in the formative years of my youth.
Is there anything you would have done differently as a youth or beyond that you think might have helped prevent any future arm injuries?
BEACHY- Pitching more might’ve helped. Might not. I think there are some mechanical flaws that I had that I would’ve corrected with the proper instruction and attention at a younger age. That’s tough though. The biomechanics have advanced so much even in the last 5 years. Again, I think a lot of it is genetic. Throwing a ball that hard is not natural. After my I tore my UCL the second time they looked at more things and it turned out I have extremely elastic soft tissue. Makes me very flexible, but also meant that the repetitive stress on tendons and ligaments caused the tissue to become lax. Doing a few things mechanically different might helped with this, but it’s hard to say.
What is a fond experience that you like to look back on from time to time while playing in the MLB?
BEACHY- I have so many fond memories. One of my first and favorite was getting called up during a playoff chase. Chipper had hurt his knee and was out for the year. First couple starts were on the road and when we got back home he introduced himself to me and asked if I had some time later he’d like to give me some notes on what he observed of me from his hitter’s perspective. Sadly, I didn’t have time. Yeah right, I was like, “are you kidding me, any time you would like Mr. Jones”. Having a hall of famer take the time to sit down with me, give me those incredible insights into what he saw, to help me and help the team - incredible. I was blown away and I’ll never forget how good Chipper always was to me.
What product (usually pink) are baseball players drinking from bottled water bottles in the dugout? Is it biosteel, cytomax? What is it?
BEACHY- If I remember correctly, I used to drink a “pre-workout” type drink called Fast Twitch that was pink. There are a limited number of NSF certified products so it wouldn’t surprise me if it were a newer certified BCAA supplement or hydration product similar to liquid IV.
How was your experience in the minor leagues? Did you have host families at each level or was it mostly you on your own?
BEACHY-
- Thankfully I moved pretty quickly through the minor leagues. I had a host mom in AA Mississippi. Shared a bedroom with a teammate and that was a good experience. Had another host family in AAA with another teammate and that was a great experience. Other stops were apartments split with other guys. Rookie ball I slept on an air mattress in a 2 bedroom apt. 3 other guys did the same. We had a tv on the floor and not a single piece of furniture. Making $1100 a month before taxes, and not have a sizeable signing bonus, I ate a whole lot of $5 footlongs in those days.
- It was difficult but honestly, it helped me at that point in my career. Being a guy that had just started pitching recently, going early and staying late because there was nothing to get back to only helped me.
BEACHY- Kris, Jonny Venters and I all had multiples around the same time. I don’t think there was anything in the development that contributed. It’s clear now that rehab protocols have changed significantly since that time, but what we did was pretty standard for then. I think genetics plays a much larger role in those types of injuries than people realize.
Baseball Annie's - good thing, or the best thing?
BEACHY- Had to google this because I’ve honestly never heard the term. Cleat chasers was the term we used. I’d say sad thing. For everyone involved there.
1. Who was your favorite teammate? funniest teammate?
BEACHY- Favorite- Jonny Venters. Incredibly humble and kind. Pretty terrible jump shot though. One of best people ever. We lived together for several spring trainings. Funniest- Moylan and Ryan Buchter.
2. What is your favorite moment in the MLB? funniest moment?
BEACHY- Celebrating clinching a playoff spot in 2010 will always be up there. Funniest might’ve been during that celebration seeing one teammate on all fours and another kicking/stomping the booze-soaked carpet up into the other’s mouth. Just a wild and fun night after sitting around watching the Padres together after our game.
3. What was the experience like being there for Bobby Cox's final year?
BEACHY- It really was an honor and blessing to get called up and be a part of that. I’ll never forget him telling me I was getting the nod and doing so in a way that gave me a ton of completely unfounded confidence.
4. What is something about being a professional baseball player that most people don't know?
BEACHY- How irrationally confident it makes you haha. I heard serious conversations with guys that believed they could hit 200 mph fastballs if they saw it enough. And I swear I was 2 inches taller and helluva lot tougher as soon as put that jersey on.
5. What do you do these days?
BEACHY- After I finally decided I was done playing I spent a good amount of time trying to figure what I wanted to do next/could do next. I ended up getting into franchising by working with Andy at MyPerfectFranchise. I opened and own Koala Insulation of Nashville.
6. Besides the teammates/camaraderie, what do you miss most about your playing days?
BEACHY- I found that business ownership was more similar to sports than I expected. Hard work, resilience, coachability, team building and leadership got me to the majors and they have helped me quickly become the top performing franchise in the whole system.
I really wanted to succeed with my business because my main passion and goal was to help other transitioning athletes that were as lost as I was. I have built up my team so that I can essentially remove myself from the day-to-day operations and I spend my time now consulting.
Now, I help other athletes and people of all walks that are interested in business ownership, specifically franchising. I get to know them and match them with business that are perfect fits based on their true motivations, goals, strengths, weaknesses, likes and dislikes. I would bet a lot against being in home insulation, but putting aside first impressions and looking into the business it was a perfect fit. It has been incredible for me and my family post baseball and now I’m working to help others achieve that as well.
Those are the big ones. Playing cards in the clubhouse or on late flights with the guys. Team dinners.
If not for the injuries how high do you think your ceiling was as a pitcher?
BEACHY- Hard to say. I was leading MLB in era when I blew out the first time. I had only been pitching a handful of years and was only my second full year as a starting pitcher and was still learning the craft. With perfect health I think I could have been a top 3 rotation piece on a good team for a long time. But you know, if my aunt had balls she’d be my uncle.
Did you have any arm injuries in youth ball, travel ball or high school?
BEACHY- Never did. I also didn’t pitch after little league until a few innings my senior year of high school and then was a relief pitcher in college while being a full-time position player. If anything, my injuries could have been from underworking my arm in the formative years of my youth.
Is there anything you would have done differently as a youth or beyond that you think might have helped prevent any future arm injuries?
BEACHY- Pitching more might’ve helped. Might not. I think there are some mechanical flaws that I had that I would’ve corrected with the proper instruction and attention at a younger age. That’s tough though. The biomechanics have advanced so much even in the last 5 years. Again, I think a lot of it is genetic. Throwing a ball that hard is not natural. After my I tore my UCL the second time they looked at more things and it turned out I have extremely elastic soft tissue. Makes me very flexible, but also meant that the repetitive stress on tendons and ligaments caused the tissue to become lax. Doing a few things mechanically different might helped with this, but it’s hard to say.
