Seattle Mariners News: Dustin Ackley Should Lose the Beard

Dustin Ackley of the Seattle Mariners has a full, manly beard. As cool as that is from a standpoint of general masculinity, it may be time for a painful truth.

The beard needs to go.

Now, normally we do not dish out a lot of fashion advice here at Emerald City Swagger, but in this case it is necessary. Shave off the scruff.

Why, you may ask are we suggesting that Ackley return to the fresh-faced look of 2011? Simple. Ackley needs to get back to what made him a top draft pick. We need that kid that came on the scene and hit .273 in his rookie season while posting a 3.4 WAR.

Besides, we are not a hockey player and we are not a lumberback. At least, not during the regular season. If Ackley wants to live in the woods and chop down trees during the winter with icicles hanging from his scraggly beard, so be it.

The Boston Red Sox went with the beard thing during their last World Series run, and unfortunately it caught on in Major League Baseball. While many fans embraced this wild hair movement, there is this cold, hard reality.

Those BoSox looked ridiculous. Sorry, Beantown.

This is not to suggest that Ackley should be superstitious like many of his fellow athletes. Shaving the beard will not sap his strength. Nor will it allow him to more effectively hit a curveball.

That said, sometimes  a change in look can also lead to a shift in attitude. If Ackley wants to remain in left field for the Mariners, he will need to pick it up from an offensive standpoint. A new look may signal a fresh approach to his job.

Shave the beard, Mr. Ackley. Make it a fundraiser if you want, but the facial hair has to go.