Are the Nationals the Kings of Rookie Hazing?
It’s September which means call-up have joined MLB rosters and there’s nothing that helps some camaraderie in the clubhouse quite like the veterans getting in some rookie hazing. We all should be against hazing that causes bodily harm, but I see nothing wrong with making rookies dress up in goofy outfits. No team does this quite like the Washington Nationals. We were greeted last year by the Nats rookies dressed up as the Smurfs, naturally with Stephen Strasburg as Papa Smurf.
Look at the commitment to the hazing with full-blown, blue body paint. They even complete the awesomeness with Wilson Ramos taking the role of Smurfette and Danny Espinosa (far left) as Hefty Smurf. How can you top this?
The Nationals give us another year of solid hazing tactics by having the rookies get in the Olympic spirit and have a tribute to the “Fantastic Five” that took home team gymastics gold in London. We’ve seen rookies dress up as cheerleaders plenty of times, but I’ve never seen gymnasts. Bryce Harper is looking fierce up front, I think he’s the Jordyn Wieber of the group. No confirmation if McKayla Maroney is not impressed with the Nationals antics.
Let’s see what Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, and company have in store for 2013. They’ve set the bar high.
-Bryan Mapes (@IAmMapes)
Three Up, Three Down 