Brett Anderson Jokes About Dodgers’ Rookie Hazing, Jonathan Papelbon Fight

For a second consecutive year, Los Angeles Dodgers rookies were forced to dress up on the heels of the club being pummeled at Coors Field by the Colorado Rockies. The theme for the rookie hazing last season was superheroes, while Sunday’s travel day called for wrestling attire.

The Dodgers left Colorado with their magic number stuck at two, as the only progress made over the weekend toward clinching a third straight National League West title was a San Francisco Giants loss on Friday night.

Brett Anderson, who was one of the starts in the three-game series, acknowledged the rookies dressing up as wrestlers wasn’t nearly fun as it could’ve been, and he took some responsibility:

Myself being a major part of it…rookie dress up loses its luster when you get swept by the worst team in your division.

— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson35) September 28, 2015

One of the more adept Twitter users on the Dodgers roster, Anderson did find some solace in Kenley Jansen not acting out in similar fashion to Washington Nationals closer Jonathan Papelbon:

Small victory that Kenley didn't try to choke anyone out…

— Brett Anderson (@BrettAnderson35) September 28, 2015

Papelbon and NL MVP candidate Bryce Harper exchanged words on Sunday, which led to the fiery closer putting his hands around Harper’s neck during a scuffle. Teammates quickly separated the two, and Papelbon returned to them mound in the ninth inning.

As for the Dodgers, while they’ve been unable to wrap up a division title, Anderson is among the players who aren’t concerned. One win against the Giants in any of the four games of the series at AT&T Park, which begins Monday, will be enough for the Dodgers to again be crowned NL West champions.