Major League Baseball is cracking down on hazing.
The league created an Anti-Hazing and Anti-Bullying Policy as part of the sport's new labor deal, set to be ratified by both sides Tuesday, and the players' union agreed not to contest it, according to the Associated Press.
The policy prohibits "requiring, coercing or encouraging" players from "dressing up as women or wearing costumes that may be offensive to individuals based on their race, sex, nationality, age, sexual orientation, gender identify or other characteristic."
"I think it's ridiculous," Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow said Tuesday morning on KNBR 680. "A lot of these kids come up out of the minor leagues having been there four or five years, they get to the big leagues and they cannot wait to put a dress on. They've heard about this, they want to be a part of it, it's a tradition.
"It links them with other generations, it's a great relationship between a veteran and a rookie.
"What next? Look at what Joe Maddon does -- having theme night when they travel. They put on pajamas or they put on superhero costumes or whatever. It's fun. It unites a team. It takes the pressure off a season. And it's great in September when you have the rookies assemble and have to do something stupid.
Sports
"It's something they're proud of ... I think it's ridiculous that Major League Baseball gets involved with this. I don't think that we're that sensitive that we can't appreciate a tradition like that. It started out with shoes -- they had to wear funky shoes -- and now they've definitely taken it to another level.
"But I do know this: When we're on the plane and it's rookie day and these guys are putting these things on, it's a big hit. So I don't know who got offended by this or who wrote a bad letter, but I just think that Major League Baseball getting involved with it is a joke."
Krukow played in the big leagues from 1976 to 1989. What hazing occured during his time?
"It was not a big deal. We'd have a team party and then you'd have to sing and that was the whole deal," Krukow said.
"For MLB to get involved in this -- come on, you're killing me."
