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Brian Wilson Refuses To Shave Beard, Won't Sign With Yankees

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Brian Cashman says the New York Yankees can cross Brian Wilson off their list.

The free-agent reliever refuses to shave. And as we all know, there are no beards allowed in the Bronx.

"I can rule out Brian Wilson," Cashman said Wednesday from the general managers' meetings in Orlando. "That was volunteered to me during our conversations, that the beard stays on."

Wilson, returning from Tommy John surgery, went 2-1 with a 0.66 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 13.2 innings this past season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He added six scoreless innings in the playoffs.

The Yankees could use a guy like that -- if Wilson were willing to part with his signature black beard. New York has a policy regarding facial hair: mustaches only. And above the lip. No exceptions.

"You can cross him off the list," Cashman said. "I was told, 'Don't even bother.'"

The 31-year-old was the Giants' closer when San Francisco won the World Series in 2010.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price said in February that he'd never sign with the Yankees because of the beard restrictions.

"Those rules, that's old-school baseball," Price said. "I was born in '85. That's not for me. That's not something I want to be a part of."

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