(Jayson Werth's beard has left the building. And no, that's not a beard, that's a soul patch. Screengrab of TV/ComcastSportsNet by Nationals Enquirer staff.)
The night before his introductory press conference at Nationals Park, Jayson Werth attended Tuesday night's Wizards-Lakers game at Verizon Center along with a who's who of DMV sports (Gary Williams, Alex Ovechkin, Donovan McNabb, etc.). But the big news is that Jayson Werth attended Tuesday night's Wizards-Lakers game without his beard.
Sadly, it seems that the Nationals team policy on facial hair has resulted in a clean shave for Werth (save the soul patch). Or perhaps Jayson Werth misunderstood the policy? Here's Mike Rizzo explaining the Nats policy on facial hair via Big League Stew/David Brown back on Dec. 6:
"The team policy is, facial hair is OK, but it's got to be groomed. It's got to be nicely ... professionally groomed."
(Mike Rizzo, via BLS, 12/6/2010)
Paging Collin Balester and his mustache. Apparently, Werth took "groomed" to mean "eliminated". Jayson Werth's beard's Twitter account seems to be fairly despondent at this hour.
At least Werth got a nice ovation from the crowd when his beardless face appeared on the scoreboard, via @billgluvna:
At the #Lakers - #Wizards game. Nice to see DC give #Nationals OF Jayson Werth a nice reception during his appearance on scoreboard.
(via billgluvna, 12/6/2010)
Also on Tuesday night, Mike Rizzo emailed a letter to Nationals fans about "Phase 2". Rizzo didn't mention Werth's facial hair situation. Here it is:
I think werth should join me and grow a siiiiick stache
Posted by: Collin Balester | December 14, 2010 at 11:04 PM
Better headline would have been this:
"Beardless Werth Watches Wall-less Wiz"
No?
Posted by: Aces | December 14, 2010 at 11:34 PM
@Balester: Agree.
@Aces: Yes, agree.
Posted by: The Nationals Enquirer | December 14, 2010 at 11:52 PM
Short version of Rizzo letter:
I just spent a ton of money, now I gotta sell some tickets.
Posted by: Peanuts and Cracker Jack | December 15, 2010 at 06:05 AM
When does Phase 3 start?
Posted by: Anonymouse | December 15, 2010 at 07:52 AM
@stacheOBally helped set the record straight on the facial hair policy, it's balester's mustache's twitter account
Posted by: Jackobeam | December 15, 2010 at 08:07 AM
The Expos would have let him keep the beard!
Of course, the Expos wouldn't have signed him to 7 years, $126 million.
Never mind then.
Posted by: Latrell | December 15, 2010 at 10:38 AM
Four Aces.
Posted by: Ruben Amaro | December 15, 2010 at 10:56 AM
Werth was my favorite Philly - will miss him and will hate playing against him. The nats landed a great asset.
Posted by: Anthony | December 20, 2010 at 08:01 PM