Don Mattingly revolting against Yankees' facial hair policy with new look in Toronto

It would be impossible for someone to grow *more* facial hair than ex-Yankees captain Don Mattingly has right now, as he readies for his guru role with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mattingly, fresh off once again being snubbed for the Baseball Hall of Fame, chose to join the Blue Jays as their bench coach last winter, and is now getting prepared for Year 2 north of the border. Because adding the Jays to your resumé is always an easy way to boost your Cooperstown candidacy -- just ask Dave Stieb!

Last summer, Mattingly kept his face pretty trim, perhaps forever scarred by the "Simpsons" episode where Montgomery Burns took potshots at him until he was finally kicked off the Nuclear Power Plant's softball team.

This winter, he clearly, uh, went through something. Whether it was watching Joe Mauer sail into the Hall with the exact same career path, or something else entirely, Mattingly has now masked his visage with what's called a "full-on Santa Claus" in America and probably something way weirder in Canada. A "Papa Noel Puff"? Who cares.

Yankees Captain Don Mattingly looks like genuine Santa Claus at Blue Jays spring training

There's "trimming sideburns," and then there's that.

Kudos to Mattingly for really going for it and setting a positive example for bearded ex-Yankees everywhere, from Luis Severino to his new Jays pupil Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Mattingly deserves the spotlight and a ring to cap his four-plus-decade run in baseball, but hopefully that recognition does not come in Toronto. Can't be having that -- at least not until they fire paid instigator/coach insulter John Schneider. He's also earned some time on the Cooperstown stage at induction weekend. Maybe going incognito with a full gray beard will lead to him receiving proper recognition? After all, we know how much the Hall loves to snub deserving Yankees, considering the dynasty has been wholesale ignored outside of Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

A bold strategy, cotton. And by that, we mean placing cotton on his face was a bold strategy.