de Grom SETTING TRENDS - 3-8-2016

de Grom SETTING TRENDS - 3-8-2016

  I recently read an article in The Record  saying that a MLB player found Jacob deGrom's hair is distracting.  Here is what the hitter had  to say about the hair to The Record:

“First of all, I see this guy on the mound who looks like a stick figure. I mean, you don’t see major league pitchers who look like that. And he’s got that hair – you can’t not look at it, it’s everywhere. It bothers me when I’m trying to pick up the ball out of his hand. All I see is hair.”

Well, it made me think.  A hundred years ago when I played organized ball, I don't remember anyone playing  with hair that long. So it is hard to relate,  but if you sit down and study I could see where it could become a distraction, and then it gets in your head.  Maybe that's why Tim Lincecum was so good with the Giants.   It was the hair! 

So where will this take us.  All starting pitchers growing their hair long to boost their strikeouts? It could happen. Remember, relief pitchers grew moustaches and beards to be more intimidating, so I guess long hair on starters for distraction is not out of the realm of reality.

Oh, by the way when de Grom heard about all this he said, “That’s pretty cool … I guess now I’ll never cut it.”

There it is trend setter Jacob de Grom keeping it simple.