Smack dab in the middle of his first postgame TV interview as a major leaguer, three teammates gave Brett Lawrie(notes) a proper initiation. Two of them covered his face in shaving cream and a third completed the ceremony by dousing him in Gatorade.
Watch the ceremony unfold
Pitchers Brett Cecil(notes) and Ricky Romero(notes) got Lawrie all foamy, and catcher J.P. Arencibia(notes) (I think it was him — he's too quick) didn't miss an inch flying solo on the cooler dump.
Consider yourself baptized in the big leagues, rookie.
The surprise party capped a night of firsts for Lawrie, who got two singles and drove in a run during his highly anticipated major league debut, a 5-4 Jays victory at Baltimore.
Lawrie, a native of Langley, British Columbia — a far suburb of Vancouver that's less than 10 miles from the U.S. border — has been called the "best Canadian prospect in Toronto Blue Jays history." So,
high heels, after coming over from the Brewers in the Shaun Marcum deal, he's had that heavy distinction on his shoulders, along with being touted as a top-40 prospect who has drawn comparisons to David Wright.
Lawrie also made an error at third base (his future on defense might be at first base or left field), so it wasn't a perfect beginning. That's something worth noting, as John Lott of the National Post did:
"I'm no saviour," [Lawrie] said. "I'm here to play baseball and do what I've always done, which is to go out and compete and help the ball club win."
Lawrie debuted at Camden Yards in front of family, including his mom, dad and sister,
Wedges, Danielle — a pitcher with Canada's Olympic softball team who visited with the Blue Jays' TV guys during one of Lawrie's at-bats.