The Hair Club
Manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that he has gotten approval to relax the team's facial hair policy, but there is a caveat.
"It's kind of, 'Can they keep it presentable?'" he said. "They're going to police themselves."
Both Showalter and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail approached owner Peter Angelos after the club brought in two veterans -- Derrek Lee (left) and Vladimir Guerrero -- who have long worn goatees.
"I asked Derrek how long he had that, and he said he couldn't remember when he didn't," Showalter said, "and he's one of the really good clubhouse-presence guys."
Showalter told the players early in camp that if having the option of wearing a well-trimmed beard was important to them, he would make an attempt to relax the policy, which has been in effect for most of the Angelos ownership era.
When I asked Buck what would constitute acceptable facial hair, he told me to look in the mirror. I guess that was a compliment. Since my photo accompanying this blog pictures me clean-shaven, you'll have to (ugh!) use Dan Connolly's mugshot at right as a reference point.
The facial hair policy was a big issue when Kevin Millar with the club and reported to training camp in 2006. He loved to keep a five-day growth and was coming from a Red Sox team that had Manny Ramirez and all his strange grooming incarnations but could not make a dent in the policy during his three seasons in Baltimore.
The important thing to remember, however, is that the facial hair policy is at the discretion of ownership, and Showalter indicated that it could get tightened in a hurry if the Orioles start looking scruffy.
Associated Press photo
Go to mobile.baltimoresun.com to get news on your mobile device. Text BASEBALL to 70701 for Orioles text alerts.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
I don't remember ever seeing D Lee without his goatee! By the way, when are you guys going to start calling him 'D Lee?' That's his name! Thank You!
Posted by: iowagyrl | March 7, 2011 1:34 PM
I don't care what they look like as long as they win. Clean up the at-bats and the sloppy infield play, not ballplayer faces. Who cares what they do with facial hair? Leave that crap for the Yankees. This team needs to minor on the minors and major on the majors, i.e., pitching, defense, and three-run HRs. If they do it with a five-day shadow, I don't care!
Posted by: Joe from Baltimore | March 7, 2011 1:34 PM
It's pretty amazing that this policy was changed directly for 2 over the hill veteran players. I know nick m doesn't like to shave and no exception could even be made for him and he was Peter a's pet.
Posted by: blancione | March 7, 2011 1:52 PM
I'M WITH JOE!!!
Posted by: CSQUARE | March 7, 2011 2:00 PM
Possibly one reason Markakis "was Peter A's pet", was that Nick didn't bother to rock the boat.
Frankly, I am astonished that Angelos insists on a policy like that. To some owners it's very important, I guess.
If I were an owner, I'd place a signicantly higher priority on not being a decades-long embarrassment.
Posted by: M J R | March 7, 2011 2:02 PM
Yay! My "Free the Beards" campaign is finally paying off!
Posted by: Chris in Hawaii | March 7, 2011 2:11 PM
About d@mn time. Completely absurd policy; hey, our team hasn't won 82 games in 13 years, but we'd better not let Adam Jones grow a moustache! (come to think of it, doesn't he have a pencil-thin moustache?). Cuz, you know, it's more important to look good than be good. Idiots.
Posted by: dcb | March 7, 2011 2:11 PM
It is a wonderment that that grown men have so little self esteem as to cultivate upon their face what grows wild on their butt.
Posted by: Eastern Shoreman | March 7, 2011 2:12 PM
We should also remember that some of the most tight-knit teams of the last decade have used facial hair as a way of bonding and forming solidarity and cohesiveness together.
Posted by: Eddie in NYC | March 7, 2011 2:24 PM
They haven't won since they allowed facial hair in the 90's. Maybe this will be the incentive to put them over the top.
Posted by: RavenRick58 | March 7, 2011 2:37 PM
I've always thought the restriction on facial hair was idiotic. Instead, how about restricting the way they wear their pants? It bugs me that professionals look like 7 year-olds playing t-ball in their pajama bottoms.
Posted by: ballmerboy | March 7, 2011 2:39 PM
This just in:
The pubic hair policy remains unchanged.
Posted by: Blumple Stiltskin | March 7, 2011 3:01 PM
Finally, common sense from Mr. Angelos' office. If a grown man wants facial hair, he should be allowed to have it. I find the "is it presentable" standard funny because what is presentable can vary from person to person.
Posted by: Ben | March 7, 2011 3:03 PM
This is great news for all bearded folks out there like me!
Posted by: Andrew | March 7, 2011 3:26 PM
A move that was long overdue. How do you expect guys to play like grownups when you treat them like children.
Good work by Andy and Buck.
Posted by: MoCoMitch | March 7, 2011 3:30 PM
Hair today. Gone tomorrow.
Posted by: FanSince54 | March 7, 2011 3:35 PM
I totally agree with RavenRick58. Relax Peter, a beard can add a little manlyness. But how can someone so up tight about his players looking professional allow those ridiculously stupid looking baggy pants?? Clean shaven + baggy pants = lipstick on a pig. I think all MLBers should be high cuffed. That would look sharp.
Posted by: Steve | March 7, 2011 3:41 PM
Hey; Joe from Baltimore . Is that the only thing you can say about the hair policy ? That all you can do is complain and say something bad about someone . That's pretty sad my man . Hears something to think about . Your over the hill , because you could never be where they are . So that's means you were over the hill years ago . Try showing how your Mother and Father raised you fool .
Curt
Posted by: Curt S.S .MD | March 7, 2011 4:02 PM
I am happy about this. I think we should encourage (in the form of bonuses like Charlie O. Finley in the 1970's with the A's) our players to wear their hair out long and woolly. It would give our team character and we could be the anti-Yankees in that way.
The comment about bonding over facial hair is important too.
Posted by: Orsulakfan | March 7, 2011 4:29 PM
Hey if Koji could get away with those lamb chop side burns he was rocking last year, I gotta believe the facial hair thing was alread being relaxed...good lord treat them like adults, would ya?
Posted by: PGD | March 7, 2011 4:56 PM
iowagyrl - I can't speak for all of us, but, oh what the heck - we are NEVER going to call him that.
Posted by: Kevin in MA | March 7, 2011 6:14 PM
Whoa....first they start tapping Boh for the first time in 16 years and now they allow facial hair.....start printing ws tix.
Posted by: Rob K. | March 7, 2011 6:15 PM
It's about time Peter got rid of this rule.... It's a baseball team not a glee club.
Posted by: LaurenInGlenBurnie | March 7, 2011 8:14 PM
they should not throw away almost 60 years of tradition so an over the hill number 4 hitter can keep his whiskers.
Posted by: bob | March 8, 2011 7:53 AM