Megan Cloherty, wtop.com
WASHINGTON – Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth’s long and storied facial hair history is about as popular as his batting average.
Now, Werth’s infamous beard has its own Twitter account and Facebook page.
“Jayson Werth’s Beard” has 5,682 followers on Twitter as of Friday, April 13. It made its season debut at the Nats home-opener the day before.
The Twitter account from the perspective of the outfielder’s beard has been going strong since 2010 when Werth made his way to Washington. It has picked up followers with its quippy one-liners like, “Don’t call it a comeback,” and “Is the MLB going to ban beards from tweeting too?”
One fan even put together a video in homage to Werth’s ever-evolving beard when he was with the Phillies. Watch the video below.
Scott Eisenlohr of Bleacher Report was willing to speculate a few reasons why Werth’s beard appeared back in Feb. 2010. He delved into “the repercussions of said facial hair, and how this might end for the talented right fielder.”
“Athletes are superstitious by nature,” Eisenlohr wrote. “If experiencing a hitting streak, athletes have been rumored to wear the same socks or underwear until the streak ended. If Werth does not shave until he signs a new deal, he could become the third-string catcher, with the elongated beard acting as a chest protector.”
Some Phillies and Nats fans truely believe Werth’s swagger is reflected in how long he lets his beard grow. Given its current length, Nats fans should see a turn-around season from the slugger, if they believe the hype.
Werth enters his second season with the Nats looking to rebound from a disappointing 2011 season in which he hit .232, with 20 homers and 58 RBI, reported WTOP’s Craig Heist.
Werth was signed as a free agent on December 5, 2010 to a seven-year, $126-million dollar contract.
@JWerthsBeard You’re breaking out! No need to trim for the home opener.
— Mark Jones (@mark_h_jones) April 11, 2012
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(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
