Superstition helps Nationals' Werth raze idea of trimming his hair

Aug 25, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Washington Nationals right fielder Jayson Werth (28) tosses his helmet after striking out to end the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Nationals outfielder Jayson Werth had been considering a trip to the barber but superstition got in the way.

It would have been a hair-razing move for Werth, particularly with the Nationals set to give away a Werth Chia Pet doll to the first 20,000 fans on Wednesday night. Werth told Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post that he changed his mind upon recalling a string of past experiences.

"I got it trimmed before I went to court (for speeding last off-season), and they threw me in jail," Werth said. "At this point, it's not for me."

Werth noted that the five-day prison sentence for reckless driving was not the only reason to leave his long locks and trademark beard untouched. After getting a trim earlier in the season, he said he was hit in the wrist by a pitch in the next game, resulting in two broken bones that sidelined him for more than two months.

The 36-year-old Werth also recounted how he suffered a broken wrist when he was plunked during spring training in 2005, an injury that occurred hours after a barber told him it would be "good karma" to cut his hair.

That was enough to keep him out of a barber's chair this time around. "I thought about it," Werth admitted. "But I'm superstitious about it now."

(h/t Washington Post)