Above The Whistle
Welcome to Above The Whistle. The podcast that takes you beyond the X's and O's and into the mindset of greatness as we sit down with coaches/athletic directors/former players across the country.
Above The Whistle
Jared Fernandez (Former MLB Pitcher): The Power of Perseverance and Knuckleballs
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When the count's full, it's the unwavering perseverance and the iron will that carve a path from the minors to the Major Leagues for former MLB pitcher, Jared Fernandez on our latest episode. We're not just talking about balls and strikes; this is a story of persistence woven with the threads of Jared's awe-inspiring journey from Kearns High to the Major Leagues. His riveting narrative is dotted with life's curveballs, including the pivotal moment his career was saved by the knuckleball, and the incredible support that propelled him to his dreams.
Ever wondered what it's like to stand on the mound, staring down legends with the roar of the crowd in your ears? Join us as Jared recounts his whirlwind debut against the Yankees, the camaraderie of teammates like Nomar Garciaparra, and the gritty realism of life in the pros. But it's not all fastballs and fame; Jared bounces up and down from Triple A to the Big leagues and never loses faith in his dreams. Through it all, Jared's story reminds us that the heart of a true competitor beats strongest when facing adversity, no matter where on the globe it might take you.
As we round third and head for home, Jared's story takes us into the trenches of business, where the same hustle and adaptability that served him on the diamond drive his entrepreneurial spirit. From the echo of the knuckleball in Houston's closed roof stadium to the launch of a beard care line that's breaking into new markets, Jared embodies the spirit of a true competitor. His insights on embracing failure and criticism, living without regrets, and the joys of starting a family business are more than just lessons; they're a playbook for anyone stepping up to the plate of life, ready to swing for the fences.
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You know, one of the most important kids you'll ever coach is the one that needs the program more than the program needs that kid. Welcome to Above the Whistle with your host, devin McCann. What's up everyone. Welcome to another edition of Above the Whistle. Today I'm fired up. I have a special guest on Jared Fernandez. Today I'm fired up. I have a special guest on Jared Fernandez. He's a former Major League Baseball player and, after some discussion, just to try to figure it out my second cousin. I get a little confused. Our moms are cousins, so I'm trying to figure out exactly how that works. But Jared and I have known each other for years. And yeah, welcome, jared.
Speaker 2Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1I appreciate it, yeah, so let's just dive into it. I want to kind of start back. You know you went to Kearns High. You're a Kearns legend. You know I grew up a little bit younger than you but I mean all my friends were, oh, jared Fernandez, that's your cousin. Like, I mean, you were a legend here in Utah. But you went to Kearns High, then you ended up going to eastern Utah, correct, yep, yep, and then from there moved over to Fresno State, yeah, and then from there, I mean the rest is history. You, you got signed with the Boston Red Sox. Um, that's still to this day. That's kind of my allegiance. I'm a red sox fan and that is, you know, in due to you I'm in the same boat.
Speaker 2That's who gave me my chance.
Speaker 1So yeah, definitely always a red sox fan yep, I am a huge red sox fan and I credit that to you, um, but I want to go back. I just want to. Did you always believe you would make it to the, the big leagues? Like, when did you first start like really thinking, hey, I have a shot at this yeah.
Speaker 2So school, I mean way back in the day that you do these aptitude tests and they would say, hey, you're going to be digging ditches, practically. So I said, no, I'm playing in the major leagues and that's all there is to it. And they always say I need something to fall back on. But I never thought of, even considered anything else. That's all I wanted to do. It's all I wanted to do. It's all I wanted to work at. That was my goal is to get to the major leagues and win. So you know, dream come true. When it happened, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1Was there ever a moment, though, where you you thought, you know, this might not happen?
Speaker 2There was a couple of times you know I didn't get signed. After my junior year at Fresno State I was a little bummed out so didn't sign. Ok, I'll sign next year, my senior year, and nobody drafted me. Couldn't believe it. So I couldn't believe I was done. My wife had me go I was playing in this semi pro team just to stay sharp for the draft and I'm like I guess I'm done. I can't believe she goes. Well, go pitch. You never know what can happen.
Speaker 2I went and pitched through a complete game shutout and it was crazy how I signed. So the Colorado Rockies were there and they're like Jared, you didn't get drafted. I said no and they said well, we drafted 17 pitchers. We can't draft anybody, but my son is a coach with the Red Sox organization, let me call him. So he called him. They had a guy get hurt and they said pick up anybody you can find. And you know I was one of the top pitchers in the country. And so they called me and said do you want to sign with the Red Sox? Yeah, so me and said do you want to sign with the Red Sox? Yeah, so absolutely, that's how it went down. I just, uh, the Rockies helped me sign with the Red Sox and that's how it went. Just had right place at the right time.
Speaker 1I mean that's interesting, you don't. You don't see the competition necessarily helping out, you know.
Speaker 2Yeah, I, I. I mean that's part of part of being, you know, making it to the major leagues. You got to be a good guy. So a lot of times you'd get called up, get sent down. Some guys would get so mad, throw desks and stuff like that. I never did that. I was always just hey, get me back up here, happy to help anytime I can. You know it's kind of that insurance policy. You know, go up to the big leagues for six weeks, back down to triple A for a week. That was fine with me. I was so happy to be there, happy to be a part of it and you know, you just got to be a good teammate.
Speaker 1Yeah, I mean, it's like anything in life. You don't want to burn bridges. Yeah, you know, in my profession you never know if your company is going to be acquired by another company and you might be working for that boss that you may have you know bad mouth just a couple months earlier. I always say, yeah, just you know. Your integrity, your credibility, your reputation, that's all you have. Oh yeah, so you know, don't go burning bridges. Yeah, just be a good teammate and things will work out. Yeah, so what was that?
Speaker 2moment, like when the Red Sox called and you actually signed with them. So it was crazy. They just called me and said meet me at this restaurant, sign my contract. They gave me, I got a thousand dollar signing bonus. And I said how does this work? After I had signed, I take my wife with me and they're like, oh, we could have got you 10 grand food or known you were married. I'm like that's okay, I'm just excited to go. Uh, didn't know where I was going, excuse me. Um, the first team I was with was in Utica, new York. So flew me right to Utica, new York and, um, you know, started playing minor league ball there. I said where's my locker? They said, hold on one second. They released the guy, put all his stuff in a garbage bag and then they said there's your locker. I'm like, oh man, this is, this is a different world.
Speaker 1Yeah, that's a little cutthroat. Oh yeah, um, so to kind of take us through those days of of a minor league baseball player.
Speaker 2Yeah, that that's a grind. So I mean, if you uh, aren't used to being away or you know eating bad food and staying up late, it is a grind. It's it's now your career. So when I first got there, you know Fresno state, I was running, you know six minute miles and tons of foul pulls and sprints. And then when I got there, it's like what's our running? And I said this is your job, you decide what you do, you know.
Speaker 2So you had to get that discipline for yourself to keep control of stuff. It's very easy not to do anything and you see a lot of guys that are so talented, that sign and you know they get in that nightlife and you know, start making some money and they just fall to the wayside. So it's very easy to do that. But you just got to keep your eye on the prize and your goals in the major leagues and stay there. But the minor leagues, man, those bus rides, tough, peanut butter and jelly all the time and late nights. It was a rough, rough grind, but it was so much fun.
Speaker 1So I mean you talk about just kind of those habits. Did you create daily habits?
Speaker 2I mean, you talk about just kind of those, those habits Did you create daily habits? So I was still used to dead lifting and squats you know heavy football stuff.
Speaker 1So I was a football player.
Speaker 2So it was an adjustment for me to get into that baseball mode of you know they want you very flexible, they don't want you big, but I was always a big cat so you know still like to bench press and stuff like that. So I still did my lifts and stuff but still did what they wanted me to do to stay healthy.
Speaker 1Okay, were there ever moments on the road where you are eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? It's. You know. You're pulling into a new city at 2 am. Oh yeah, where you're like the hell with this. It's not worth it.
Speaker 2You have a wife at home.
Baseball Journey and Adaptability
Speaker 2I loved every second of it. I loved baseball. I loved meeting new guys from all around the country. I had so much fun. When I started playing I didn't look back. I had a ball. But it was really hard for me to adjust that it was development. So minor league is development. So they want you to learn to hit, learn your pickoffs, learn your pitches, how to throw strikes. Just do different things. And I was used to you win. I mean that was your goal and I was used to you win. I mean that that was your goal. No matter what you win, it's okay to win 15 to 14, that's fine, you won. So it was really weird to this is developmental stage and then, as you go to high a ball and double and triple, it's more development because the goal is the big leagues, to make the big league team the best. The rest doesn't matter. It's development interesting.
Speaker 1Um, I mean, I think that gives us a good kind of lead into. You know, we were talking a little bit before the podcast. I mean, you're a big guy, yeah, you were throwing, you know, low to mid 90s. All of a sudden you get to the, the minor leagues and and they want you to transition to being a knuckleball pitcher yeah, that that was a pretty funny story.
Speaker 2Well, I'll take you back even further. So my grades were terrible and I recommend anyone who's listening get your grades, your kids, it's so important. But I was just in the gym, I was concentrating on baseball Huge mistake on my part. So I was in the All-State game. Also, scott Ayer, who's from Utah Great guy, he's left handed through 94. I was thrown 94 in the all state game and back then we didn't have a lot of scouts in Utah. Neither of us get drafted. And now if you're thrown 94, you're way up there both. And they said, hey, both your grades are. You guys are terrible at school. So, uh, they said, go to a junior college. So I went to college of Eastern Utah, scotty went to college of Southern Idaho, um, and then he signed, I think it was with the White Sox, or the Rangers was his first team.
Speaker 2And then I, from Eastern Utah, I was going to plan on going to BYU and then all of a sudden they weren't calling me back. I was working their camps and everything, and I had offers from Ohio State, iowa, michigan. I was going to stay. You know, go to stay in Utah and go to BYU, nothing. So I got a crazy call from Fresno State. They had called me, offered me a full ride out of state. I said where'd you see me play? They said we never have. We just heard good things about you. Like wow, they flew me out, showed me the campus, and so, anyways, that year I ended up facing BYU in the WAC championship and beat them and I was the WAC MVP. So it was nice to see the coaches and so. But you know the coaches were great Polans and all they're fantastic guys. So you know they said we made a mistake on you. And so, you know, I was full financial aid, scotty was full financial aid. We both would have went.
Speaker 2But so from there at Fresno State, then I had signed free agent with the Red Sox. And then how I got to a knuckleball. So you know I was 94 out of high school is hard. And then I was 92, 93, but throwing strikes. And then played my first year of pro ball, signed with the Red Sox, and they said, hey, congratulations, you played your year of pro ball. We're going to go ahead and release you. I'm like what? Like you know, I said I'm your number two guy here and it was Bob Schaefer who you know been a major league coach all the time he was our minor league director. He said unless you have something extraordinary, he said you, you're average, everything, average, breaking ball, average change. I'm like, wow, dime a dozen, yeah. I said hey, um, I have the best knuckleball in the world. He's like, oh, really, go get a catcher. I went and got Joe DePastino out of Florida and said, hey, will you catch a pen for spring training? So there it went and I saved you yeah, I played 14 years pro ball.
Speaker 2So just you know, just kind of never say die. Yeah, you know, my goal was the big leagues and I wasn't there yet, so I wasn't about to let them just release me.
Speaker 1After one year of short season, a ball yeah, yeah, no, I mean, I love that story, that just the tenacity you had to. You know, yeah, keep working and keep grinding, oh yeah. And your willingness to adapt, yeah, you know and say, okay, fine, you don't want my, my 94, yeah, mile per hour fastball, I'll throw you a knuckleball, yeah I would have done anything to stay there.
Speaker 2So I mean, you know you want me to rake the field, let's do it. Yeah, I just love being around the game. All those legends you know. Uh, johnny pesky, the pesky pole and fenway, I wore him out every day. Listen to old time stories, charlie wagner uh, old scout for the phillies, he was always around. I, I wore everybody out. I just love the old stories. Um, even had an opportunity one day. So this is going ahead. So I'm in double a. Okay, um, dom dimaggio, dimaggio's brother, uh, he was there and I was like, oh, my gosh, that my gosh, that's Dom DiMaggio. He played for the Red Sox and I get talking to him and we're getting on the bus to go to batting practice this is in AA and he's like hey, I'm going to go eat lunch. You want to go? I'm like, yeah, so I full-on miss batting practice, I get fined and and showed up late and they're like where have you been? I'm like I just had lunch with Dom DiMaggio.
Speaker 2Here's your money Finally it was a legend hearing all the stories. It was so fun. So, yeah, I just loved hearing all the old baseball stories and those guys on the trains and just loved it.
Speaker 1Now do you think? I hear these stories and I think the possibility or the reason why you stayed in the big leagues as long as you did was because of your love, your passion for the game.
Speaker 2Yeah, I think that. And just you know I never complained. I knew I don't want to say I'm a man of integrity, but I feel I'm a man of integrity. They knew I was a good teammate. I would do anything for anybody on my team, Just never complain. You know I was up and down a ton, I was in double and AAA up and down a ton, I never complained.
Speaker 1But how do you do that? Because I think it is so easy to complain, especially when you get to the big leagues, you have a good outing, you have a good showing, and then you get demoted to AAA. Yeah.
Speaker 2I mean, a lot of guys were hurt and all of a sudden they got healthy. It didn't matter how you were doing there on big contracts. So I understood the office side of it too. So, um, which is probably good, you know. You know I I would a lot of times after the game I'd go in, sit with the coach and say, hey, what'd you do on this double switch? Why'd you put the lefty in here? Why'd you use this catcher here? So I wanted to learn the game as much as I could. So, um, you know, when I was with the Reds Ken Griffey Jr, barry Lark, and I'd wear those guys out and like, okay, if you're facing me, how do you approach me, you know? And or I hit it off the back of your or right at your forehead. I'm not trying to pull you or do anything fancy, I'm trying to hit it right back up the middle. Oh, okay, that helps me. You know, are you looking?
Speaker 2at the game slider or like oh you, you want to stay hard, not your knuckleball, not the same speed. So, yeah, I wore everybody out trying to learn more about the game I love it.
Coaching and Mentoring in Baseball
Speaker 1I love it. Um, with that said, I mean you have you wore everyone out. Yeah, have you been able to take that and did you ever have aspirations of going into coaching and and things like that?
Speaker 2yeah, I've, I've been offered jobs in minor leagues with some major league teams and yeah, um, but man, I love my mountains. I left my wife and kids for so many years so I, just I love it here in Utah. I hunt and fish Um, I know I could go and sit on a bus and help people for a few years, but, yeah, I'm in a good spot right now, like my family and love, love my Utah.
Speaker 1Yeah, um, but you are helping a high school team here locally, aren't you?
Speaker 2Yep, eric Madsen was the coach at Utah Valley. Okay, he was actually in my line at my wedding, played with me at Eastern Utah. Oh, interesting, he is now the Lehigh head coach and he asked me to come help out a little bit, and so that's been really fun. Eric knows the game and so we've had some, you know, great exchanges of just he's a student of the game as well. We still are learning to this day, so it's been been really fun helping the kids and so, you know, hopefully we can get them where they want to be.
Speaker 1Yeah. Now they always say, like as a coach, you know if you're really good at something, it's hard to go ahead and kind of translate that to you, know an athlete, because for you it's just so natural I threw 94. Why can't you throw 94? Is it kind of hard for you sometimes with some of these young kids to?
Speaker 2It's, it's honestly, it's more mentality. It's I don't know how to say it, it's not David Goliath or anything, but it's you can beat the other team and, like I said, if it's 15, 14, that's fine. You don't know what you have. If you're not a home run hitter, don't try and hit home runs. Know who you are. If you're a Bantamweight, don't fight the heavyweights. So just stay within yourself and and you can compete and win. We all put our pants on at the same time or the same way, so it's just uh, you know, I want them to compete and have fun and have that camaraderie with their team. That's what's most important have fun. And I want them to be good young men. So not everybody's going to go to the big leagues or to college, but if we can just teach them, you know, like we said, that integrity and just to be a good, good person, and playing ball is the place to be, it's really going to help them.
Speaker 1Yeah, I mean that's the whole point of this podcast. It's called Above the Whistles and we go above, you know the X's and O's and we talk about that mindset and I think a coach has such an impact on young people's lives. I mean you can truly, you know, change the trajectory of a young kid's life.
Speaker 2So yeah, and you got to take your step back. You know you kind of, what are you guys doing, like you know, and you don't want to say in my day this is what I did, but you know it's just uh. You know you just kind of, hey, walk me through what you were thinking in that situation, cause I mean, I I've fell millions of times and that's what baseball is is game of failure. So, uh, if I can help them, um, look at it in a more positive light, you know. So we had a kid the other day stole a base and we were down by 10 and he got thrown out a second. Okay, you're very important run, but you're not worth 10 runs. So it was a great learning experience yeah.
Speaker 2So it. You know you don't scream at him and yell at him, but it's what a great learning opportunity is. Hey, we kind of need a rally right here. You know we, everybody has the green light pretty much. So, yeah, you can't get thrown out right there. There's no sense in going. You can't score 10 runs yourself. So, but it was. I was really happy that it happened. So he'll never do it again. It was just the perfect learning experience. So, uh, to teach guys, um, those guys, baseball, uh that you know they'll carry that on to their kids or you know, if they ever decide to coach. So we're coaching them quietly and letting them answer their own questions a lot of the time.
Speaker 1So I mean you mentioned you don't want to use the phrase you know back in my day, but back in your day. How has the game changed?
Speaker 2Well, in our day, you know how it was Like if you don't get it right, you don't get water nowadays if somebody's hurting you have to set them down. In our day you put some dirt on it and tape it up and get in there. So that's right that the part has been really different um, what about, like the home runs?
Speaker 1and just you know, yeah is yeah. Is that a little different?
Speaker 2Or at this level it's I you know I'm watching the big league games and seeing some of these bat flips. Yeah, I don't understand. Well, it's like in football, you know. You'll see a team down by 21. They score a touchdown and or not even that they get a first down. Yeah, they're doing this crazy dance and a salute and I'm just like you're down 21 points you got a first down, yeah.
Speaker 2It just seems so selfish to me and maybe they're not understanding the game. I know it's self-promotion and everybody wants to sign that new contract, but what are you doing? Yeah?
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, no, no, sports is the ultimate. You know, team game I mean, football, baseball I mean, and if you're not selfless, you're hurting the team.
Speaker 2Yeah, I mean I would never hit anyone on purpose, but I promise if somebody took a gigantic swing off me or pimped a home run, I promise I'm throwing that next pitch right under their chin, you know and they respect it. I mean I'm throwing 55-mile on their knuckleballs but I can rear back and throw a fastball. But you know they've got to have that respect thing, you know just uh.
Speaker 2I don't want anybody too comfortable up to bat against me, so I don't mind if they get hit and I have the double play in order. So there you go. Yeah, that's the mentality is a little different, you know so. But yeah, it didn't scare me to throw inside.
Journey to the Big Leagues
Speaker 1Yeah, Um, speaking of that, let's talk about your first, you know, up in the big leagues, your first time on the mound.
Speaker 2Yeah, well. So I got called up with the Red Sox in 99. This was crazy. So I was kind of AA, aaa, this is my first time up in the big leagues. So I'm supposed to start in AAA that day. And I get a phone call from our manager and he's like hey, jared, there's been a change of plans. I'm like, oh no, I'm going to double a again. He's like and this is again pre-cell phone. So, yeah, hey, so you're going to the big leagues, it's game of the week. Um, it's red socks versus the yankees. Roger clemens is now with the yankees. It's his first start against the red socks.
Speaker 2Like, oh my gosh, like and my wife's looking at me we're going to AA. I'm like we're going to the big league. So we're balling, hugging and kissing, you know. And I'm like I don't even know how to get there. So I jam over to our AAA field.
Speaker 2This is in Pawtucket, rhode Island. I need my equipment. Everything's locked up. It's early.
Speaker 2The hot dog bun guy helped me break down down the door into the clubhouse, grab my stuff. I'm like, how do we get there? You hit the freeway when you hit the sick, go sign, get off. So jam up there, we turn, we get off. We're in Chinatown in Boston. I'm so lost. You know the game's at like noon and this is so bad, hold on, I got a cough. So you know you're so broke.
Speaker 2In the minor leagues I had a Gatorade bottle full of change, so there was probably $80 in there, you know. And I'm parking in the major league parking lot and I'm like, hey, so is our car safe here? He's like, yeah, I'm like, because I have a ton of money in my car there. He's like it'll be fine. So you know, my $80 in change. So, yeah, I change. So, yeah, I run into to the um stadium there, go to the clubhouse that threw me in my pants, threw me my contract. I signed, um, excuse me. Um, they said, hey, you can't go to the field yet because, uh, fans have been throwing batteries at the players, so the police are going to escort you out there. Um, wait, why were they?
Speaker 1throwing because of roger. It's just crazy.
Speaker 2Yankees red socks is nuts you know, I doubt they were throwing them at me, but you might get hit by one, yeah, so, uh, nomar garcia par was the first person to see me. Gives me a big, huge hug. You made it. Yeah, thank you. And then he went.
Speaker 2You know him from, yeah, from double a triple a and um him, my wife, are really good friends. He's like is marcy here? I'm like she's in the wives lounge, and oh cool. So he ran in the wives lounge, marcy, my wife was having a ball because in the big leagues you don't pay for soda pop, so she could push the Dr Pepper machine and it would just keep coming out. So she thought that was pretty cool.
Speaker 1It's the little things, oh yeah.
Speaker 2It's the little things. And then, hey, I think this, uh, I, when I went and saw her before I went to the field, she goes I think this janitor's not doing his job. I'm like that's Jim Rice, that's our hitting coach. She's just watching TV. So that was pretty funny.
Speaker 2But so head out to the field, Clemens is there. He's like, ah, you finally made it. I'm like, hey, good to see you. They said get Fernandez up, I go start throwing. And they're like we turn to double play, set him down.
Speaker 2So first day in the big leagues. And then I go, I'm looking on ESPN that night and the manager, jimmy Williams, said hey, you're here to stay, we're not making any moves. So I'm watching and on the ticker it said Red Sox make a trade for Bryce Fleury of the Detroit Tigers. I'm like, oh no. So go to the field the next day, got sent down. So that was I got two days with the Red Sox, never got to pitch. So then, and when I became a free agent, so we had Wakefield in the big leagues with the Red Sox. So I was sitting in AAA behind him forever. You don't really want two knockballers on the same staff.
Speaker 2So as soon as I was a free agent. I left, I was with the Cincinnati Reds and then got to finally pitch. We were losing like 10 nothing to the Cubs. You know I'm so amped. My very first pitch I drilled the guy right in the back so I was whoops and he was furious. He thought I did it on purpose, but it was like a 84 mile an hour knuckleball. I was so up and then I got three up, three down. Uh, the next two innings. My first strikeout was delano to shield. You know, gotta face sammy sosa, I mean I was there.
Speaker 1Yeah, I think you'll never forget.
Speaker 2Oh it was so fun I mean yeah you know, I don't know. 35, however, thousand people screaming and just, and if I remember right being your parents.
Speaker 1They flew out there to no game or no, usually they did.
Speaker 2No, usually that's how it works is hey, mom, dad, I'm getting called up, you know, and I go the red socks from there a day and a half, and so we never got to do the dad in the stands, you know, proud moment. I mean, they came to some games when, uh, uh, when we played the rockies they got to go over there when I was with the reds and they went to some cincinn stuff. But yeah, we never got that cool moment.
Speaker 2I was always up, Like I said now they just came here and there and um, but yeah, it was really cool that they got to see some of those games.
Speaker 1Oh, absolutely oh, that's awesome. Um, so I mean, you're in the big leagues for 14 years uh, professional baseball 14 years up and down forever.
Speaker 2So yeah, I you years up and down forever. So yeah, I made it to the big leagues with Boston, cincinnati, milwaukee, houston and then finished my career in Japan. So yeah, it was a long time and had a ball every second. And then while it was snowing here in Utah I'd go play winter baseball just to get more innings. So I spent two different winters and it's four months. I spent two different winters in Australia, two in Dominican Republic, one in Puerto Rico, one in Arizona. So just getting more innings and, yeah, had a ball there too.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah. Now let's go back to your days of Japan. Okay, because that was, you know, not only on the baseball field, but just the culture of Japan, and, you know, bringing in this this big guy, this knuckleball pitcher, um, remind me, there was bulletin boards, or billboards, rather, and that was crazy.
Speaker 2I was the only american on the team, uh, first knuckleball baller ever to pitch over there and I'm a, I'm a big person. So, uh, most of the americans that go over there, they'll you know, hey, we're running this and americans going no, i'm'm not, I'm not doing that Cause I mean, they have some different stretches and different, uh, ways to go about it. And most Americans say, no, I'm doing my own thing. And I told him the first day I said, hey, I'm a team guy, I'll do everything you guys do. I won't do it as fast. And stretches, I did it all. I think the first spring training I lost 35 pounds just doing it all. So, um, you know, I did it. Uh, it was hard, but yeah, I'm a team guy.
Speaker 1You really are? Yeah, now talk to us, though, about these uh billboards. Oh yeah.
Baseball, Japan, and Major League Expansion
Speaker 2Well, they just had. So my nickname over there was mock you, which is evil ball, and they did this underwear design. It's like the sumo kind, that kind of have a big square at the bottom, yeah, so it said makyu's evil balls, and then it said fernandez ferunandesu and they completely sold out these underwear. So for the commercial they wanted me naked but to have those on. I said no, I'm not doing that, and then I wore just the the underwear over my uniform. Oh okay, so they did that and I was on every like. So you're an underwear model in Japan.
Speaker 2Yeah, 300-pound model underwear model.
Speaker 1Hey, hey, I mean they have the sumo wrestlers over there. Oh yeah, well that's a story.
Speaker 2I got to tell you that one. Oh, okay, one day. Well, they were asking like a five-day tournament, okay, and uh, I'm watching every second, it's awesome. You know, they throw the salt, it's purity, it's just, it's, it's an art, yeah, it's traditional. And I had said, when they were asking me about I said I love I haven't missed a match, I've watched the whole thing. I'd love to more, learn more about it. So, so neat to me. Uh, next day there's like 30 cameras at my locker and I'm like, oh, I must have got traded or something. So they said, hey, so the grand champion, sumo guy, is mad at you. I'm like what? And they said, he said that you want to learn more about it, but it's a lifetime of learning and you think you can just learn it in five days watching a tournament. I said no, no, no, I didn't mean that at all. I didn't mean to upset anybody. I was just saying it's really cool, intrigued.
Speaker 1Yeah.
Speaker 2So, but he thought I could learn it in five days, like I had said it like that, so total misinterpretation You're calling him out?
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2And so he said, well, we're about the same size. He said, well, I'd like to sumo Jared Fernandez. And I'm like, oh my gosh. I'm like, yeah, let's do that. Like, let's get it on, let's do it. And they're like, really, you do it. I'm like, yeah, Like I'm strong, let's go. You know, is there anything in your contract with baseball where they're like no, they didn't say anything, you know. And then his people told him, if you lose, you're in trouble, You'll never work again.
Speaker 2If you win, you're supposed to. So he came back. And he came back said well, I don't want to hurt fernandez and you know he's in the season, so we never did it, but I but they were surprised when I said yeah let's go and you truly like oh yeah, it would have been hilarious. I loved it so that would and I would have had an opportunity to learn more about it.
Speaker 1You imagine if youtube was around back oh yeah, that would have been fun. That would have been awesome. Um now remind me I I mean, obviously you were married. Did you have both your kids at that time? Did?
Speaker 2you have your family over in.
Speaker 2Japan. Yeah, I took my kids everywhere. So when I signed in Japan, I was actually playing in Dominican Republic and I had a guy teaching them Spanish. And then I signed for Japan. We came home, we were home just a short while, like I think three, four weeks, and then I went for Japan. We came home, we were home just a short while, like I think three, four weeks, and then went to Japan.
Speaker 2And then this is another thing they said, ok, put your kids in school with the Mazda people they all speak English and the private school. I said, no, they're not doing that, I'm putting them in public school. And they're like, no, no one's ever done that. I'm like, well, that's what they're doing, they're going to learn Japanese. So I put my kids right in public school. That I'm like, well, that's what they're doing, cause they're going to learn Japanese. So I put my kids right in public school. Um, you know, I had three and three interpreters working helping me, and then my wife had a person helping her and the kids. So, but yeah, they picked up Japanese straight away. So they had no choice being in elementary school.
Speaker 1So I don't know how much they know. Now I was going to ask, like, how much is like Bo and them?
Speaker 2Yeah, I don't know how much they know now, but they did really really well, so that's awesome.
Speaker 1I mean just the experience to kind of be able to take your family, oh yeah, I mean all around the world, yeah, yeah, we had a ball.
Speaker 2Yeah, and it was a lot of. You know, my kids are best friends. We stayed a lot of times. We lived in a hotel room, you know, two beds and four of us and that's just their best friends. That's how it went.
Speaker 1Well, and even to this day, like I mean, I see you guys at concerts all the time and it's the four of you. Oh yeah, like you guys are always together, you're always hanging out doing things. Like typically, kids don't go to concerts with their parents. Yeah, no, I don't see myself going with my, my old man.
Speaker 2No, my kids are the coolest. We all listen to the same music. We have dinners every Sunday, every Wednesday, so they're there. I mean we hang out all the time. They're a riot. They make me laugh.
Speaker 1So yeah, we's a lot of talk of us trying to get a Major League Baseball team. You are one of two former Major League Baseball players on the Utah Baseball or Big League Coalition Major.
Speaker 2League Baseball Coalition, yeah, so I don't know who else is involved. So they asked me to come aboard and it's been neat. I got to go to the meetings. There's a lot of politicians there. The Miller family has been fantastic. That's kind of who's heading it up, gail Miller?
Speaker 2I know they got the land approved to put a major league stadium. From what I understand, it's Salt Lake City, charlotte, nashville. I heard Montreal's in the mix and Portland is still in the mix. I don't see Montreal has that huge stadium that's vacant. So that helps them. Portland, I just don't see it. Nashville's got a pretty good scene, that's. The only scary thing is, you know, they got the music scene and they held the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings this year. So, but I still think we're right there. I mean our governor's for it, I think our city's for it, you know.
Speaker 2And then I had a talk with a couple of the people you know we were talking about where would we be in attendance, and they were saying, oh, we might be around 19th, and if you look at baseball now it's really different. So now it's diversity, and so Salt Lake's team, with the LDS Church and everyone all over the world, I think it'd be more of a world team, so it wouldn't just be a Salt Lake City team. So I'm seeing more diversity in the team. So Of course there's 25 guys from Utah that could fill that team, but now you're seeing on a team two guys from China, two from Korea, two from Japan, dominican, puerto Rico. But all those places are billion-dollar TV deals. So it doesn't matter if we're 19th in attendance. You have to pay for the team at some point and it's the TV deals. So that's why you have the diversity in baseball, which I think is amazing, because it's world baseball, it's awesome. So I'm seeing the diversity.
Speaker 2So it doesn't matter on our attendance here, but I think people will go. It's a family game and that's what they want to create is a, you know, a family atmosphere. So I think it'd be great to do that. They had some sections they were talking about the stadium to have, like, no drinking, just you know, some family areas, just to go and enjoy the baseball game and not have to mess with you know some unruly so so but yeah, they've been great with me and just you know I've chimed in of what I think and I was, you know, got to go see the groundbreaking of the triple a field and, um, you know, I don't know how much say I have and stuff, but I like to chime in and yeah, and a part of things. So that was really nice that they asked me to come aboard.
Speaker 1Now is it one or two teams they're looking to expand to, Because I've heard two, I'm not sure.
Lessons From Baseball to Business Success
Speaker 2You know. The Oakland A's have one more year in Oakland and then they're going to Vegas. So I know that stadium has been approved where the Tropicana Casino is. They're kind of tearing away. So stadium has been approved where the Tropicana Casino is. They're kind of tearing away, so it's almost on the strip, so that's going to be cool. Have you seen the renderings of that?
Speaker 1I have not seen the stadium yet. You need it, I'll show you after this the renderings for that stadium.
Speaker 2Oh really.
Speaker 1Oh, it looks like a spaceship.
Speaker 2I mean, it looks awesome.
Speaker 1I was curious, you know, are they gonna? That's the one out in summer, right? Um, I don't know well, I was on the old one when I played, so I think they have one in summerland out there, but no, this new one. Yeah, it's domed.
Speaker 2Oh okay, um, and it truly it's yeah, I didn't know if they'd throw it in the football stadium. I didn't know what they were gonna do there.
Speaker 2But no, I mean this looks like a brand new stadium that's gonna be neat, so oh it looks awesome yeah hopefully we get a team here and I know there was some discussion here. Do we dome it here? You know we have snow, but they also want to see the mountains in the backdrop, which is really pretty so I wonder if they could do some sort of like retractable, yeah so. Yeah, I mean, I played in houston, they had that retractable. I played in milwaukee, they had the retractable.
Speaker 1So I mean it's possible, so we'll see, do you like that as a baseball player though?
Speaker 2um I I don't mind, so I mean you don't care. Either way it was. Houston was really cool because when they would close it I had all these different winds in there from they'd open the door. My knuckleball was awesome there, so milwaukee was cold. In there. It was like a gigantic warehouse. I didn't get the movement I wanted in that in that place. But yeah, houston, I love, love the movement. I got on the knuckleball there so kind of you know weatherman stuff.
Speaker 1Right, right, yeah, yeah, Stuff. You know you don't typically think about but, yeah, as a pitcher, especially knuckleball.
Speaker 2Yeah Well, I always explain the knuckleball like how does it move? And so you take, spin off the ball obviously. So if you drop a feather I always say you don't know which way it's going to fall and that's kind of the air current. So if you take a knuckleball you throw it with no spin. There's air currents in that 60 feet 6 inches and it'll just catch and just kind of move around. That's what creates the movement is the no spin and that air current will catch a seam and move it one way or the other. So if you can throw strikes with it, yeah you'll be golden.
Speaker 1Yeah, but I mean that's the challenge with the ball right For sure. Excuse me, I want to kind of end on this. So you've started a new business, a small business, I mean. You were just telling me. I mean it started as like beard oil and balms and things like that and you're slowly going into some women product. Yeah, going into some women product. Yeah, but how has all those you know just those lessons and you know just the trials and successes and all the things you learned from baseball how can you go ahead and translate that into getting a small business off the ground and just the grind of daily business.
Speaker 2Yeah, I mean it's. It's honestly. I have put my baseball lessons to life. I mean, life is tough and baseball is a game of failures. You know three out of 10, you're hitting 300, which is amazing, but you fell seven times. So you kind of kind of have to take that into your everyday thing. I mean, we all wake up sore, we all wake up depressed here and there, and you just got to it's a grind. You just got to rise above it and look at the good things. So and that's the same with this business, you know you'll hear stuff. People say they don't like this and at first you're devastated and like, okay, I'll take that criticism. You know I never worried about the papers where they're like oh, fernandez is terrible, you know pitcher, so I'm still here. You know I don't. Who are you? That's kind of how it is.
Speaker 1I think that's a superpower though that you have, because I don't think 95% of the general population has that ability.
Speaker 2Yeah, you just can't let people get you down, and if you're out there trying to do your best, I mean, what else can you do? I have my family that's very supportive and, like I said, everything's a grind. But I always tell the kids at the high school you can be anywhere in the world you want to be. Like I could be on the beach in Hawaii right now. I could be in Australia and you know where I'm at, here coaching you guys. So I want them to feel that same way too, like you could be home sitting playing video games. You could be at the mall and you know where you're at games. You could be at the mall and you know where you're at. You're at the ball field trying to get better. That's cool to me.
Speaker 2So life's too short. You just got to. You know. Do what you want to do within reason, you know just. I would really didn't want any regrets my whole career. So I lived it up. I played, I talked to everybody I wanted to. I traveled the world. I have no regrets whatsoever. I would have liked my numbers to. I traveled the world. I have no regrets whatsoever.
Speaker 2I would have liked my numbers to be a little bit better here and there but I had so much fun in my baseball career and I am right now with my family. We're having a ball, you know, getting this beard business off the ground. I just didn't like the stuff that was out there.
Speaker 1I was going to say where did this come from?
Speaker 2Yeah, I just some of the scents I didn't like and it would itch my face and you know I wanted to grow facial hair after baseball. I'd always have a little goatee and stuff. But uh, yeah, I just like I think I can do this. I made sense that I liked um and made a good product.
Speaker 1But to be clear, I mean, you didn't know anything about making beard oil.
Speaker 2You didn't know.
Speaker 1So let's let's talk a little bit about that, because I think there is a lesson to be learned. Oh yeah, you just saw a need. You didn't like the products that were out there, yeah, and you went to work and you started diving into. Okay, this is how I make sense.
Speaker 2It was a minor league grind, so it was started from scratch, knew nothing, and I went to work, started studying the skin and the hair and doing all this stuff and then I made so much product that I didn't like that I had to throw away. Um, and you know I just do beard bombs, beard oils, shampoo, conditioner, and now we're starting to do women's um hair oils. You know my wife's hair is super, super long and it's beautiful. So, um, just kind of doing that, just a trial and error. You know, change your, change your swing, change your pitches and what works, and that's kind of how it is. Just never say die If you fail. You know, get up, brush yourself off, get after it again. That's all it is. If you can get that in your daily life and your routine, you will be successful. So you know, the more you put into it, the more you're going to get out of life.
Speaker 1Yeah, no, absolutely I think. I mean I picture you guys, your, you know family, your wife, your kids in your basement, oh yeah, Making this stuff, and that's that's the reality.
Speaker 2You guys are in your basement you know, coming up with these different. Oh yeah, we got our different playlists going and listen to music and we're having a ball and doing it, and you know there's some deadlines you got to meet. And you know, the other day I we got sold out of a certain product and so I got home after an expo and I built more stuff until seven thirty in the morning. I woke up at eight thirty in the morning, got my hour sleep back at the show, so but that's what it takes If you want to go to the big leagues and be the best. That's, that's what you have to do.
Speaker 1I love it. I love it. Go ahead and just kind of plug what you know. What's the business name? Where can they get the product, things like that.
Speaker 2So it's Jfez Beard Co, j-f-e-z Beard Co. So I had tons of different nicknames playing ball, a Michelin man, twinkle Toes because I run on my toes, but Twinkle Toes, beard, toes, beard company didn't sound cool. So, um, so we stuck with J Fez. So, um, you know, we've only been open a year, we're in 18 stores. I had a, a show the other day. It looks like we're getting in a you know close to another 20. Um, so we're taking off and, like, like I say, I I was just making it for my friends and me, and so I use the very best products that you can put on your face. I didn't want to give anybody a zit, so it's the highest quality that you can put on your face. And you know, I'm not saying that because I buy my stuff, I'm not saying that, I'm just telling you.
Speaker 1No, I can attest to that.
Speaker 2It's big league. I've used your stuff.
Speaker 1It works great. I appreciate it. The cherry tobacco I'm telling you a dark berry.
Speaker 2I still need to try that one. That's the one. I really want to try we had people write online like are these edible? I'm like you can You're? Going to have some bad bellies, but I suggest you don't eat your beard stuff. But made of tiger's blood that smells like a snow cone. So just different flavors that I thought were fun. Yeah, you know, nothing too serious, but we're having a ball and that's kind of my retirement job, I guess. But we're having fun and it's definitely a family business.
Speaker 1That's awesome, awesome. Well, jared, thanks for your time. I love you know sitting down with you, you know whether it's here, family outings, things like that. But thanks so much for your time and we'll see everyone else on the next episode. Thanks.