Top 5 Pittsburgh Pirates Beards At Spring Training
Facial hair appears to be taking a more prominent role in baseball lately.
Take Brian Wilson, who made waves with his incredible beard.
In fact, it looks more like a bird's nest than a beard and that's okay with us. Take a look!
At the other end of the spectrum, the New York "No Fun" Yankees don't allow their players to have facial hair. None. You can't do it.
A former player recently called the rule, "kind of ridiculous." It's not "kind of ridiculous." It's flat out ridiculous.
Remember how weird Johnny Damon looked after ditching his spectacular beard to join the Yankees? Click here for a reminder.
Fortunately, the Pittsburgh Pirates don't have a similar rule because there are some spectacular beards at Spring Training in Bradenton.
Here's a top five list from KDKA-TV's Rich Walsh:
5 - Neil Walker
"He's working on his beard. I just think he got a late start. He's also working on his game. The Bucs' second baseman is coming off a career year. Despite missing 14 games last year, he batted .271 with 23 homers," Walsh said.
4 - Gerrit Cole
"I just think he might be too young to grow a beard. He's definitely not too young to strike out opposing batters. Cole is one of the hardest throwers in the MLB. The Bucs' ace routinely hits 100-plus MPH on the radar gun. Cole is hoping to take a big step this season after missing significant time last year with right arm and back injuries," Walsh said.
3 - Clint Hurdle
"I just think he forget to shave one day. After two offseason hip surgeries, the Pirates' manager feels better than ever. Hurdle told me this is the most optimistic he's been heading into a Pirates season. He thinks the Bucs are a legitimate World Series contender," Walsh said.
2 - Pedro Alvarez
"Looks like he's been working on this for a while. Alvarez has also been working on first base for a while. Unlike Walker, Alvarez is coming off his worst year as a professional. He struggled at the plate and especially in the field, making a Major League high 25 errors at third base - 24 were throwing errors. That's one of the big reasons he's playing first this year instead of third. The other big reason is the guy that has the best beard in camp," Walsh said.
1 - Josh Harrison
"He told me he wants to be an actor. He definitely has the beard for Hollywood. Harrison is coming off an MVP-type season. Harrison was a super utility player until he found his home at third base. He took advantage of his opportunity. Harrison finished the season with a team-best .315 batting average. Harrison was rewarded with a new contract after last season's success," Walsh said.
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