"That's it," he said on Saturday afternoon. "No mas long hair."

With that decision Friday, fellow Tigers reliever and team barber Freddy Dolsi got out his clippers and went to work on Rodney's Ben Wallace-style hair. He came out with a short-cropped haircut, his formerly long hair in a shopping bag, and a much smaller hat size.

"He had so much hair, I could've slept on that for a week," manager Jim Leyland said. "I'm just jealous."

That's how much hair can pile up after all that time to grow out. Rodney said it was his first haircut since September 2005. Little by little, the extra hair had become a trademark of his, adding to his offbeat persona and his unique nature on the mound.

By letting it grow out, he could wear it braided, as he did most days. On rare days, he would let it out and tuck it under his hat. He wore a size 7 3/4 cap when he pitched on Thursday, the day before the clippers. After trying on his hat following the haircut, he had to drop down to a size 7 3/8.

"I felt a little uncomfortable when I put on my hat," Rodney said. "Everything is better."

It's better in the manager's opinion as well.

"He looks great," Leyland said. "He looks about 10 years younger. Now if he shaves that goatee, he'll look even better. He looks great. Plus, the shampoo will finally get to his head."

The new look came at a price, even though he didn't go a barber shop for it. It was so much work that Rodney said he paid Dolsi a sizeable sum for the haircut.

"Everybody pays me," Dolsi said.

Dolsi did not have any extra work on Saturday, but Brandon Inge got in on the act with a crew cut.

"There's something wrong with Inge," Leyland said. "That I can promise you. He's rowing with one oar. But he's got life and spirit plays his tail off. I like guys like that."