As a baseball player, you’re always looking for a winning streak. But sometimes practicing, training and focusing on your game doesn’t do the trick.

That’s why, sometimes you have to go a little deeper just to get on the winning track. I’ve heard baseball players say they change their eating habits if that makes them obtain better results. Some other players use “lucky” items such as socks, hats, underwear, necklaces, wristbands, etc. The sky is the limit for wacky superstition behavior.

I, for example, don’t shave my beard for the entire season, and don’t wash my hat during the season either (just the hat, the rest of the uniform I do). More recently, I’ve been getting a Mohawk in the Finals too.

As a kid I thought most superstitions were ridiculous, but as I grew up I became a superstitious man, but only around baseball.

Dodgers’ manager, Don Mattingly, is sporting a goatee recently, and coincidentally the goatee appeared at the beginning of the team’s winning streak. He said the goatee is staying even though his wife wants him to shave (via Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times).

“It stays for a couple more days,” Mattingly said. “I have at least 10 more days until I see Lori again.”

Catcher Rod Barajas doesn’t want his manager to shave his goatee either. “He has some white in there,” Barajas said. “He might want to try Just For Men. I feel bad for his wife, but that’s the game. The hair’s staying. This game is all about superstition.”

Barajas couldn’t be more right, “this game is all about superstition,” the problem is why? And the answer is I don’t know, and I don’t care, as long as it keeps getting results Mattingly’s beard will stay, my beard will stay and Brian Wilson’s beard will stay. It’s a matter of confidence and wacky superstitions.

So to all our family, wives, girlfriends, etc. try to understand that this is our way of helping us perform at the top of our game on the field. It’s not to tick you off, ok well maybe not all the time.