Yankees Beer Man Steve Lazarus Suspended for Joking with Red Sox Player

Yankees beer vendor Steve Lazarus is part of “the help,” and the team wants to remind him that a man in his role should not be consorting with the players. Lazarus was suspended for both playoff games the Yankees hosted this weekend after joking with an opposing player last weekend.

Lazarus told the New York Post he was hanging out with co-workers in between Sunday’s doubleheader when they heard the sound of cleats nearby. Lazarus noticed it was Red Sox reliever Alfredo Aceves, and decided to mess with him.

He walked over and playfully called out, “Hey, you got ID?”

Without missing a beat, Aceves grabbed his crotch and shot back, “I got your ID right here.”

Seems like a pretty harmless exchange, right? Apparently the Yankees brass didn’t think so. Lazarus was suspended the first two games of the ALDS for “harassing” an opposing team’s player.

I can understand why teams would not want its employees to distract or bother opposing players, but context is important when deciding punishments. Because Aceves took it well, and because Lazarus was just joking, he should have been gently reminded that the Yankees would prefer if he didn’t interact with opposing players. Come on Yankees, you’re better than that.

Forearm bash to NESN