Dodgers: David Price Talks Changes in Hazing Young Players

David Price has already won over the hearts of Dodgers minor league players with his generous donations, but he’s still saying all of the right things. On Ross Stripling’s Big Swing Podcast this week, Price talked a little about that donation and more. 

Price was asked by Ross Stripling and Cooper Surles what he had seen evolve and change in the game of baseball since the time he came up. The Dodgers’ pitcher made it clear that he was happy to see hazing sort of phased out of the game. 

I think that has changed tremendously, just the way younger guys are treated now. I like that. To me that was tough about first getting to the big leagues was some of maybe the lack of respect from veteran guys. I understand that you haven’t earned the respect and this and that but we’re on the same team. We’re supposed to have the same common goal and that is to win a World Series.

For those of you unfamiliar with how a Major League clubhouse is run, in the past, veterans have dictated every move. Rookies and younger guys often didn’t have much of a voice coming out of the minor league system, but much of that has changed in recent years. MLB even stepped in to make sure rookie hazing was no longer an issue across baseball.

For the Dodgers’ newest starter, he’s just happy to see the young guys get the respect they deserve. 

I didn’t like the way the younger guys were treated whenever I first got to the big leagues. Whenever I was leaving the field I was like I hope it’s not too bad today…that has definitely evolved over time and that’s very good for the game of baseball. 

Price was traded to the Dodgers as a part of the deal that brought Mookie Betts to Los Angeles from Boston. As it stands, he is under contract with the team through 2022. 

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