Nate Rosenhaus lives a double life. By day he poses as a humble Guardians employee and grants a series of strange wishes. However, at night he can be found in dimly lit venues making a splash as the lead drummer for his band The Open Doors.
One career path can be at odds with another, as was the case earlier this week during Cleveland’s three-game tilt against the Yankees. Rosenhaus was cast as New York’s bat boy, a seemingly cool development. The problem? His luscious curls stuck out like a sore thumb.
Like many rock stars, Rosenhaus wears a mane of wool. New York doesn’t play like that, the result of decades-old (and probably outdated) rules for player hairstyles and facial hair.
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In a crowd of clean-shaven faces and cropped sideburns, Rosenhaus’s floppy hairstyle drew a lot of unwanted attention. Leading Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay even spotlighted the boy’s long hairstyle, launching a bizarre tirade against the person tasked with removing New York’s trash from the Batter’s Box.
You’re talking wrong to my guy. It’s the wrong tone. pic.twitter.com/0MLOJzGDag
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 11, 2023
“Weird to see a Yankee uniform, someone wearing that uniform with that kind of hair,” Kay said during the broadcast as cameras locked on the bat boy. “Rules are rules. He disregards two of them. I think there’s facial hair and…obviously the hair is under the collar.”
Kay’s comments brought in the cavalry… and the clippers, and the boy had to hide his fur the next day.
On Monday, the Yankees’ hitter boy was the topic of conversation because Yankees players aren’t allowed to wear long hair or red studs.
On Tuesday it looks like he got a haircut and a pair of navy blue studs ???? pic.twitter.com/HonAGDsKdm
— The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) April 11, 2023
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Unfortunately, all advertising is good advertising. And by the time the series wrapped, things were kopacetic between the Bronx Bombers and Rosenhaus, with star slugger Anthony Rizzo even donning an Open Doors t-shirt, a sign of goodwill from the Bronx goodies.
All’s well that ends well.
But one thing remains clear: Cleveland rocks!