Phillies avoid on-field distraction ... for a night

The Phillies made it through Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals without a fan running onto the field for the first time in three nights. Deserving or undeserving, let’s chalk up some of the credit to their new stadium policies.

According to the Associated Press, via NBCSports.com, Philadelphia police officers will no longer be involved in the apprehension of fans that run onto the Citizens Bank Park field, unless completely necessary. It was a city cop who tased and arrested Steven Consalvi on Monday night. On Wednesday, his family issued an apology:

“Steve and his family wish to apologize to all Philadelphia Phillies fans, the entire Philadelphia Phillies organization, players, staff and security, as well as the Philadelphia Police Department for what occurred that evening,” attorney Steven F. O’Meara said in a statement. “His family hopes and prays that people will understand that teenagers do impulsive things. This young man has never been in trouble before and has learned a valuable lesson.”

The Phillies also established a new fine for fans that enter the field of play: $2500. We can only hope that puts a stop to the attention-seekers. Or, as the Consalvi family likes to call them, “impulsive teenagers.”