PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Google a photo of Clay Holmes as a Pirate, and you’ll see a pitcher with medium-length hair spilling out the back of his baseball cap, plus a bushy brown beard and mustache. Like so many players over the years, Holmes had to shear it all upon being traded to the Yankees.
Naturally, then, Holmes was among those surprised when the Yankees announced Friday that they’re abandoning their decades-old facial hair policy, which had been in place for 49 years. Since signing with the Mets over the offseason, Holmes has already grown a modest beard, though not nearly as long as the one he had in Pittsburgh.
“There were always talks about the day will probably come, but it kind of felt like a day far off,” said Holmes, who will start the Mets’ Grapefruit League opener on Saturday. “So it’s surprising that it’s here, and I think it’s something the players have wanted. It’s good to see a little more freedom now.”
Despite his own shaggy history, Holmes said he didn’t mind shaving upon becoming a Yankee. He’s not sure if he’s going to let his beard grow much longer now that he’s across town, but he appreciates the option.
With the Yankees, Holmes said, he tended to shave every second day.
“My third day was pushing it,” he added. “If I were on my third day, I’d better hope I’m not pitching.”
Holmes also said that while he would never spurn a team like the Yankees based on a facial-hair policy, he understood some players might, given “emotional attachments” to their beards. Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and manager Aaron Boone both cited the Yankees’ desire to be competitive on free agents as reason to abandon their longstanding policy.
“Good for them,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, who hasn’t grown any facial hair since leaving the Yankees. “It goes to show you that they’re willing to make adjustments. So yeah, they felt like that was something they probably needed to do, and they did it.”
Holmes was mostly interested to see which of his former teammates might grow out their hair, citing Carlos Rodón as a prime candidate.
As for the perennially clean-shaven Aaron Judge?
“You never know,” Holmes said with a laugh.