Phillies Pitcher Says MLB Teams Are Wrong For Extending Beer Sales

Major League Baseball may soon have a big problem on its hands.

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm is the first major leaguer to publicly come out and say that extending beer sales into later innings could be dangerous to baseball fans.

Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images)

MATT STRAHM: 'IT'S COMMON SENSE'

"The reason we stopped selling alcohol in the seventh before was to give our fans time to sober up and drive home safe, correct?" Strahm asked while appearing on the 'Baseball Isn't Boring' podcast.

"Just being a man of common sense," Strahm continued, "if the game is going to finish quicker, would we not move the beer sales back to the sixth inning to give our fans time to sober up and drive home?"

Because MLB's new rules have so dramatically increased the speed of the game, teams are realizing they are losing money due to less concessions and alcohol sales. Owners care about one thing and one thing only - money. You can't blame them, it's a business.

As a result, multiple MLB teams have extended their alcohol sales from what used to be the bottom of the 6th or top of the 7th inning, and now go through the eighth inning. (We are only three weeks into the season so you can be sure that the trend will come to a ballpark near you soon.)

Some argue that sport fans should be allowed to drink till the end of the game. (Getty Images)

IT'S UP TO THE INDIVIDUAL

Many have countered that it's not the team or stadium's responsibility to make sure that people aren't drinking and driving, that it's up to the individual instead. Some take it further and ask what's the difference between a stadium or a local bar selling beers till closing time.

Well, Major League Baseball is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that's reputation is a little bit more important than your local Blarney Stone.

You also have to realize that by basic numbers, if you have 45,000 people all leaving a game around the same time -- many with children -- that the amount of drunk drivers within that small area is going to be immensely higher than leaving a bar in your local town.

Sure, not everyone is drinking and driving. But the percentage is much higher.

DID MLB PUT MONEY OVER SAFETY?

One has to wonder if MLB put themselves in a bind by not really thinking this out. Was Commissioner Rob Manfred so hellbent on selling the new rules to fans that they didn't think individual ballparks would be financially affected? If so, then that's an incompetent look on his part.

It'll be interesting to see what happens next. Other owners are undoubtedly going to follow and make the beer limit changes for their stadiums as well.

But God forbid if someone gets hurt or killed by a drunk driver immediately after a game.

Major League Baseball, Rob Manfred and the team owner will have a lot to answer for.