One of the very few things that kept me from becoming a professional ball player - aside from things such as lacking talent, or decent build, or motivation, and only scoring a 22 on my baseball IQ test - was my fragile ego. All rookies must go through a period of hazing and I wanted none of it.

But when it happens to others, it’s pretty funny.

Technically, Mets’ side-arming reliever Joe Smith is no rookie. But at the age of 24, he’s still the youngest member of the Mets bullpen, which apparently makes him fair game.

Last month, closer Billy Wagner presented Joe with a gift - his very own pink Hello Kitty backpack. And Joe was told to wear it every time he made the trip from the dugout to the bullpen (photo courtesy of Rants and Raves).

But that’s not all, folks. The bag also sits in the pen during the game and apparently actually has stuff inside.  Here, we have a picture of Tony Armas Jr. breaking many manly codes by reaching into a pink Hello Kitty backpack to fetch a bottle of lotion. In a Major League Bullpen (photo courtesy of SportingNews.com).

Yeah. I wouldn’t have lasted a week in a big league clubhouse.

One subplot that didn’t get a lot of attention during this recent Mets-Phils series was the Pat Burrell-Billy Wagner reunion. Burrell and Wagner hate each other. Burrell called Wagner a “rat” during a players-only meeting in September 2005, after Wagner criticized his Phillies teammates in the media.

The two talked a lot of smack leading up to the Mets’ first series in Philly this season, but Wagner never faced Burrell. In this most recent series, Wagner and Burrell did square off. And you could feel the tension in the air.

In Tues. night’s game, Burrell faced Wagner in the bottom of the ninth, with a runner on first and the Phils down two runs. Burrell hit a rocket down the third base line, but Mets’ 3b David Wright made a diving backhanded catch to start a double play.

On Wed. night Burrell wasn’t in the lineup and Wagner didn’t pitch. On Thurs. night Burrell went 2-4, with two homeruns and three RBIs and his team still didn’t win. Wagner retired the side to win that game, striking out Sal Fasano for the final out. He didn’t face Burrell.

You just know that Burrell would give his right arm for another chance to hit against Wagner with the game on the line. If not for a spectacular defensive play by Wright on Tuesday night, Burrell would have had his revenge. Now he’s got to wait until the next Phils-Mets series in August. And unfortunately for Phillies fans, the Mets don’t return to Citizen’s Bank Park this year at all.