Reds to enact a Yankees-like facial hair policy in 2014: Report

Taking a page from the New York Yankees playbook, the Cincinnati Reds will institute a stricter facial hair policy for players beginning this season.

Although not as severe as George Steinbrenner's famous edict regarding beards, sideburns and moustaches, new Reds manager Bryan Price likes the idea of "tame" facial growth.

Jamie Ramsey, the Assistant Director of Media Relations for the Reds, tweeted this Friday:

...there's a facial hair policy for the Cincinnati #Reds in 2014. Beards and moustaches are permitted but must be tame. "No Duck Dynasty"
— Jamie Ramsey (@Jamieblog) February 14, 2014

The Yankees are well-known around the league for their rather stringent policies on grooming. Johnny Damon and Kevin Youkilis are just two of baseball’s more hirsute players who had to pick up some razors after signing with the Bombers.

Ramsey added that he believes the new policy isn’t meant to be hard on the players; rather, it is Price wanting to construct a team-first atmosphere.

I guess he didn't see that page from the 2013 Red Sox championship season playbook.

Joba reaches out to new Yankee teammate Youkilis

The biggest stumbling block in the signing of Kevin Youkilis to the New York Yankees might not have been the Indians or the Dodgers, it could have been the Yankees' own Joba Chamberlain.

There's been a lot of bad blood between the two ever since the Yankees' reliever buzzed a couple of 99-mph fastballs past his old Red Sox rival's head during his rookie year in 2007.  The following year, Chamberlain almost tagged Youkilis again.  That throw prompted Youkilis to charge the mound before he was retrained by his Red Sox teammates.

"He has great command until Youk gets in there," then Red Sox manager Terry Francona quipped about Chamberlain at the time.

So in keeping with the spirit of the season — the offseason trading one — Chamberlain attempted to be the first Yankee to welcome Youkilis to New York when he phoned the third baseman to ease the tension before the two players have to share a clubhouse.

Chamberlain's initial try resulted in leaving a voice mail for Youkilis, who will officially become a Yankee after he passes a physical.  He accepted the Yankees' offer for a one-year deal for $12.4 million Monday to fill in for Alex Rodriguez while he recovers from hip surgery.

The feud petered out over the past couple of seasons as Chamberlain saw less playing time due to injuries, but last season the reliever did plunk Youkilis after he was dealt to the White Sox.  Youk took the hit and trotted to first base without incident.

Johnny Damon, who played with Youkilis in Boston and Chamberlain in New York, doesn't expect any friction between the two during the transition.

"Joba gets pumped up, especially when he was a young player," said Damon.

Mariano Rivera, one of the Yankees elder statesmen, had only praise for A-Rod's new replacement.

"One thing I know is that the guy plays hard," said Rivera of Youkilis. "Yankee (fans) didn't like him but he was wearing a Red Sox uniform.  I can't decide for them but he will be my teammate and I have to respect him for that."

Rodriguez will be undergoing the surgery in January and the Yankees are hopeful of his return by June.  Something tells me fans aren't going to be that hopeful after A-Rod's performance during the 2012 playoffs.

Ex-Idiots Manny and Johnny Reunite In Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Rays, who lost more than a few key players this off-season, have reloaded their depleted line-up with a couple of familiar faces from the AL East--Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez.  The former Boston Red Sox teammates and ex-Idiots will be signed to one year deals pending physicals.  The Rays may want to throw in a head examination for the enigmatic Ramirez to see what's under those dreads.

Both Damon and Ramirez were being considered by the New York Yankees this winter but, with the signing of Andruw Jones the other day, their fourth outfielder position looks capably filled.

Damon and Ramirez were teammates for four years in Boston and were two members of the self-proclaimed Idiots squad who won four games in a row to beat the Yankees in the classic 2004 ALCS.

The 37 year-old Damon bent a lot of Boston fans noses by joining the hated Yankees from 2006-09 after being unceremoniously released  by the Sox.  He spent 2010 with the Tigers.

Ramirez spent a few contentious years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, after his lease on his Red Sox padded cell ran out, and split the 2010 season between the Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.  The troubled DH has seen his numbers decline in recent years and in 2009 he failed the league's Performance Enhancing Drug policy and was suspended for 50 games.  The 38 year-old Ramirez has been dogged recently by numerous injuries and may see more time on the DL than as the DH.

The 2010 AL East Champion Rays, the Yankees and the Red Sox continue to play a comical game of roster-chess by trading and picking up each other's players.

Boston added former-Ray Carl Crawford, who was desired by the Yankees, to their team and the Yankees signed the Rays relief pitcher Rafael Soriano last week.  Now the Rays pick up two experienced, but aging,  AL East warriors from their adversaries' glory days, hoping to keep the three-way rivalry alive.

The durable Damon signed for a salary of $5.25 million plus attendance incentives--not an easy task at fan-starved Tropicana field--that bring his total earnings to $6 mil.  I wouldn't spend that extra $750,000 just yet Johnny.

Ramirez signed for a flat $2 million.  A far cry from his $20 million years in Boston.

The Red Sox have dominated the free-agent market this off-season while adding power, speed and youth.  The Yankees have chipped away at nagging problems but still look a lot like last years team without a strong starting rotation. Advantage to Boston.

Now the Rays are flexing whatever financial muscle they can muster to show their three-year mini-dynasty wasn't a flash-in-the-pan and they will continue to give the other teams in the division a run for their money in 2011.

Can't wait for the love-fest at Fenway Park on April 11 when the Rays visit Boston.  It'll be an Idiot's delight.

Yankees Scraping Bottom By Pursuing Manny Ramirez

If New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman doesn't turn his team into the best one this off-season, he could turn them into the oldest.  While the Yankees are in desperate of starting pitchers and relievers, reports from the YES Network say Cashman has had internal discussions about signing aging outfielders, Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon.  If you can't beat the Boston Red Sox on the playing filed next year, at least you can break the hearts of the Red Sox Nation by wheeling out a couple of their favorite Idiots in pinstripes.

Cashman seems to be scavenging  the bottom of the free-agent scrap heap looking for players.  The eccentric Ramirez is free after finishing a two-year $45 million  deal he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  He finished last years injury-plagued season with the Chicago White Sox and batted .298 with nine home runs and 42 RBI's in 90 games.

It seems ridiculous for Cashman to be looking at outfielders and a DH, while the real Yankee priorities are starting and relief pitching.  Andy Pettitte  seems to be leaning heavily towards retirement and the Yankee GM has made it clear that Jorge Posada will see way more games as DH than as catcher.  So what's he doing?

The Yankees say they are trying to land a defense-first player to spell regular outfielders Nick Swisher,
Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson.  That trio is solid, if not spectacular and Ramirez is no defensive whiz.  In fact, Ramirez finished the season in Chicago as the full-time DH.

The talk of pursuing Ramirez could just be coincidental.  Agent Scott Boras represents both Damon and Ramirez, so it seems logical the heavy-hitting righthander's name was just tossed out there during the talks.

Damon, the former Yankee outfielder bats left-handed and appears hopeful of landing a full-time starting position.  There doesn't seem to be any room for the player and fan-favorite anywhere on the roster in that capacity.

Ramirez, on the other hand, is a malcontent and his behavior could be disruptive to the team chemistry.  This would not sit well with the Yankee's Key-Three---Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Posada.

If Pettitte bails, it looks like the remaining starting pitcher pool is slim and not particularly reassuring.  Reports say Cashman has asked for the medical records of Freddy Garcia and has inquired about oft-injured Brandon Webb and Jeff Francis.  Any of those moves look intriguing, but it looks like Cashman might have to rely on the inexperienced--but highly touted--Ivan Nova as the fourth starter until he can make a blockbuster move before the July 31 trading deadline.

The Yankees just look and sound old.  Cashman's two biggest off-season moves so far have been resigning the 36 year-old Jeter and 41 year-old Rivera and now he is chasing after other past-their-prime or damaged players.

If Cashman isn't voted MLB's Executive of the Year,  the Yankee GM could end up AARP's Employer of the Year.

JOHNNY ON THE SPOT

By Tony Mangia

DAMON PICKED UP ON WAIVERS BY RED SOX

Two weeks ago, Johnny Damon stepped onto the Yankee Stadium turf to a deafening returning conqueror's welcome. Now, after being picked up on waivers by the Boston Red Sox, the next time Damon digs into a Yankee Stadium batter's box, the ex-Yankee left fielder could be hearing Bronx cheers instead. If Damon decides to rejoin the Idiots (or what's left of them) in Boston, pinstripe fans should give spurned Yankee a key to the city for for a couple of reasons--one which could save the season.

First, Damon in Boston II will add a little excitement to the AL Division race. No matter how good the Tampa Bay Rays have been playing and how close the race is, it isn't New York-Boston. It's hard to hate the few fair-weather fans from Florida. They don't have their own bars in New York and any Yankee fan (worth his Yankee Universe shirt) can spot a Red Sox cap approaching from three blocks. I've never seen a Tampa fan in the city. Why would they leave their beaches--oil slicks and all?

Secondly, if Damon decides to go back to the Sox, it helps the Yankees. Boston already has a DH--David Ortiz--so where is Damon going to fit in. Sure he could fill in right field and, even though his stats are decent (.272 avg., 7 HRs, 41 RBI's), he's not going to replace the numbers put up by the injured Dustin Pedroia or Jacoby Ellsbury. Damon has been nagged by injuries all season and started only on two games in the outfield. Going to Tampa would be a different story.

DAMON IS A PROVEN WINNER

The Rays are in desperate need of a DH. It is one of the few weaknesses on their team and their power outages at the plate confirm this. They've been no hit once and came close two other times. The 36 year-old Damon could bring a championship veteran leadership to the swaddled Tampa squad. Damon has already proven his likability wherever he has suited up and, during his short stay in Detroit, demonstrated an ability to work with young players. This could be Tampa Bay's last chance for a championship. They have a long list of upcoming free agents, a short list of loyal fans and a lean bankroll. Something will have to give in the off-season.

Red Sox Nation may welcome one of their favorite Idiots with open arms and high hopes but Damon has a couple of days to give a thumbs up to the team or flip them the bird. He left Boston with hard feelings after helping them win the 2004 World Series. Damon felt slighted by not being picked up and signed with the Red Sox nemesis Yankees in 2005. He currently has a specific "no-trade" clause to Boston. Damon has stated that he is still leaning towards staying with the Tigers.

Personally, I hope Damon goes back to Beantown. The past two seasons have the rivalry in a lull. No Schilling mouthing off, Pedro beating down Don "The Gerbil" Zimmer or Manny being Manny. Damon--one of the game's most popular players--could end up being cheered and jeered in Boston, Detroit and New York--simultaneously.