Mets Rookies Hazed Yesterday, This Is a Good Thing

The hazing of rookies is a big part of baseball life in late September and yesterday was no different for the Mets.

Rookies and fill in players have played a major role on this Mets team in 2009, and it was important for them to be hazed in order to show them that they now fully belong to the fraternity known as Major League Baseball.

It is a fun and meaningful event that is not even close to being as embarrassing or humiliating as some college hazing rituals, usually nothing more than putting on some clothes and accessories that get a chuckle or two, all done in the name of fun and acceptance by their veteran teammates.

Here is the link with pictures from yesterday's ritual.

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2009/09/mets-4-marlins-0-dress-up-time.html

Brian Schneider, along with help from Jeff Francoeur and Jeremy Reed, did the honors yesterday to rookies Josh Thole, Lance Broadway, Tobi Stoner and Daniel Murphy. Omir Santos, Ken Takahashi and Bobby Parnell also got into the spirit of the afternoon.

In 2007, the annual hazing was cancelled due to the team's embarrassment of the collapse occurring at the time and the veteran players thought it would be in bad taste to make such a fun ritual part of that horrible month.

Even though last year was not much better morale wise, David Wright insisted that the ritual take place and dressed his teammates up in Michael Phelps Olympic gear, stating that it is an age old tradition that must take place in the clubhouse.

Some fans may be irked that the Mets players hazed their rookies, and think that it is disrespectful to the organization that has had more than its fair share of embarrassment this season.

I can understand that logic to a point, however I do think that it is important that the rookies know that their teammates accept them and appreciate what they have brought to the team regardless of wins, losses, or games back in the standings.