SHOULD THE NEW YORK YANKEES DO AWAY WITH THEIR FACIAL HAIR POLICY?

I’ll give you my answer right away, YESSSSSS.

The Yankees have had this policy in place since 1973 when the Yankees were bought by now deceased George Steinbrenner. You’d think new ownership, change of policies wouldn’t be out of the question. Well looks like Hal Steinbrenner is following in daddy’s footsteps in some aspects of being the “boss”.

YES NETWORK’S Cameron Maybin played for the Yankees for one season. Maybin has called for his former team to drop a 50-year-old club rule to help the team’s chances of winning. The Yankees are a team of tradition I get that, NY is famous for its interlocking NY on the jersey and ballcaps, but also no names on their back just a number.

The Yankees have told a few players they’d never play in the Bronx unless they shaved, Brian Cashman told former big league closer Brian Wilson he’d never be a Yankee because of his beard. Former big league pitcher David Price also refused to play for the Yankees because of this outdated rule. Price was quoted by Joe he means his manager Joe Maddon, not Torre or Girardi, Joes that managed the Yankees during the Steinbrenner era.

David Price: “Joe wants us to be comfortable in our own skin. He doesn’t care what we do in the locker room. He doesn’t care what type of music we play, how loud we play it. He doesn’t care what we wear to the field, because that’s not going to help us be better baseball players. That (would give) us more reasons to mess up, more reasons to get a fine, more reasons to be mad about coming to the ballpark because you have to wear slacks and a collared shirt in 100-degree weather.

“It’s a joke to me, that I had less rules in college than I would on some major league teams. That’s not my style, man. I couldn’t do it on some of these teams I hear about. I couldn’t do it. I’m a grown man.” “I wouldn’t stay there very long then,” he responded. “I wouldn’t sign a long-term deal there. Those rules, that’s old-school baseball. I was born in ’85. That’s not for me. That’s not something I want to be a part of.”

Some fans are for the rule too and say things like “we don’t need homeless looking dudes playing here” or “no need to look like cavemen, its dirty looking”

Last time I checked some of the best baseball players in the world have beards, as well as best pitchers too. The military is allowing dreadlocks, groomed and lined up beards and visible tattoos. As a Yankees fan I agree with Maybin.

Would you rather look like babyface pretty boys or win games/championships by allowing players to just be themselves? You may have a better opportunity to get players to play for you if you abolish the old-school mentality and just get rid of the policy.

I’d like to just add one more point or ask this: what if there was a extremely talented player that is Muslim, lets even go as far as the next big named superstar and it’s your pick in the MLB draft, or he plays for someone else and its his walk year and does in fact have a strong interest, no desire to join the Yankees. Such player however has the strong belief that he cannot for any reason trim/shave his beard. I mean isn’t it Harâm (forbidden) to shave one’s face in the Muslim culture? How does a team justify not signing a megastar based on such an outdated tradition.

This topic has been on my mind for several years. Feel free to comment below or message me on X @HENDO19750 or hit me up on Facebook messenger, I’d really love to hear your take.