A Backpack Full of Humility for MLB Rookies

Thursday, 01 September 2011 | by Pat's Picks

According to tradition, the junior relief pitcher in baseball is assigned the task of carrying a bag of snacks and supplies back to the bullpen. The New York Times says some teams use a Dora or a Hello Kitty backpack to torment the rookies. Says the rookie reliever for the Arizona Diamondbacks: “Everybody laughs at me…they all yell, ‘Cute bag!’” The Times says the hazing ritual has amped up in recent years, which MLB officials say they have no problem with, as long as the bags “maintain a spirit of innocence.”

Jezebel.com weighs in on the politics of baseball’s little pink backpacks.