


Yankees’ broadcaster Michael Kay had some not-so-friendly words for the team’s bat boy Monday night against the Guardians.
YES Network cameras zeroed-in on Yankees manager Aaron Boone in the bottom of the seventh inning — and standing next to him was a long-haired bat boy.
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It didn’t take long for Kay to pounce, rebuking him for breaking the “Neatness Count” policy created by former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner in 1976, which is still implemented today.
“Strange to see a Yankee uniform, somebody wearing that uniform with that sort of hair. If the players aren’t allowed, I don’t know if the bat boy should be allowed,” Kay said as the cameras focused on the bat boy.
Steinbrenner’s guidelines banned player from having long hair and certain facial hair.
While mustaches are allowed, beards are not and there appeared to be a tiny bit of scruff on the bat boy’s chin.
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“There are rules. Rules are rules,” Kay said. “He’s disobeying two of them. I think there’s facial hair and obviously, the hair is below the collar.”
The poor kid was also ridiculed for his red shoes as they matched the team colors of the Yankees opponent.
As it turns out, however, the bat boy works for the Guardians which makes sense since the game was in Cleveland and team’s batboys usually do not travel with them on the road.
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Kay, at that moment, may not have realized that or he was just point out how different the look was compared to how an actual Yankees bat boy or player would to obligated to look.
While Kay might have been messing around, judging by his stern tone of voice, it’s very possible the bat boy’s blonde locks really did tick off the seasoned commentator.