Blogging About Baseball

Solid player + mustache = Above average player.

It’s purely science.

Ask Oakland’s Jason Giambi. Last year, while with the New York Yankees, he revived his career by hitting .247 with 32 home runs and nearly 100 RBI, all while wearing a lip jacket. This year, the ‘stache-less Giambi has just 11 home runs and is batting under .200.

Earlier this season, the Cardinal’s Rick Ankiel sported a walrus style cut and promptly rocketed out of a deep slump. After shaving, he went 0-4.

Diamondback’s rookie Clay Zavada is the new face of the baseball mustache scene, manicuring his compact handlebars prior to every game. He’s become a fan favorite and a very steady contributor to the team. Through 22 appearances this year, he has a 1.77 ERA and has been one of the lone bright spots on Arizona’s lackluster ball club.

(W): 9 IP, 3 H, ER, 0 BB, 5 SO.

During his start yesterday, Cardinal’s pitcher Joel Pineiro revealed his own style, the long-lost toothbrush.

And the correlation between mustaches and success continued.

Throughout the 2009 season, Pineiro has had trouble getting run support from the Cardinal’s offense, despite being ranked sixth of the 16 National League teams in the statistic. Even though he held a miniscule 3.39 ERA entering Thursday, Pineiro had suffered a horrendous nine losses.

Last night, the durable Pineiro received a five run eighth inning en route to winning his lead-leading third complete game.

Not only did Pineiro lower his ERA to 3.20, but he won for just the third time in the last two months (13 starts).

Could it have been the mustache?

Jason Giambi’s ever-famous moustache seem to be making a return. I caught parts of the Oakland game last night and noticed that the .217 hitter shaved off the graying middle part of his goatee. It’s not fully formed yet, but should be soon…

I pride myself on not recycling MLB.com news or news that can be found in any old media outlet. Blogging About Baseball finds the little tidbits, the things that you wouldn’t usually notice, dissects them, and hopefully opens your eyes to a new facet of the game, however simple it may be.

I’ve had a “Seasonal ‘Staches” section at Blogging About Baseball since its inception. Rick Ankiel’s soup strainer brought the section about, and it was such a hit that I decided to keep adding to it. You can see all the updates on the sidebar over there →.

This morning, I was pretty hurt when I found out MLB.com had a feature on someone’s mustache I’d been keeping tabs on, but hadn’t been able to find pictures of yet (he made his season debut on May 21). Due to my inability to get to Arizona for a picture of a stupid mustache, I lost out on a breaking story.

MLB.com, you can have your Giambis, your Boggs, and your Fingers, but please, please, leave me the Clay Zavadas!

Without further ado and little fanfare, I present to you the best mustache in baseball, Clay Zavada of the Arizona Diamondbacks.