MLB

Smith having to say ‘Hello Kitty’

Met reliever Joe Smith’s teammates have belatedly decided to put him through some rookie hazing. Smith is being forced to wear a bright pink Hello Kitty backpack (like the one pictured here) when he makes his walk from the dugout to the bullpen before every game for the rest of the season. As Billy Wagner said to much laughter after Wednesday night’s 5-4 win over the Angels: “It’s not Hello Kitty, it’s Hello Smitty — mee-oww!” Smith wasn’t smiling.