By Jason Notte
The Street
We're roughly two months into the Major League Baseball season and baseball's beer-drinking fans are already behind in the standings.
Major League Baseball's average price for a small beer rose from $5.81 last year to $6.16 this year. At this time last year, the highest price for a small beer was the $7.25 the Boston Red Sox were charging at Fenway Park. This year three teams have exceeded that price, with one team breaking the $8 barrier for the first time ever.
With help from Team Marketing Report's Fan Cost Index, we came up with the Top 10 beer prices in the league. In each case, fans are getting soaked beyond the average:
Most Expensive Beers In Baseball Slideshow
Mets/Brewers
Price of a small draft beer: $5.75. The team moved in the fences, brought back some of the blue and orange trim and kept beer prices steady to give fans something to cheer about after last year's miserable season. The Brewers, meanwhile, celebrated the NL Central title by increasing the price of a 16-ounce beer by 25 cents.
Orioles/Dodgers
rice of a small draft beer $6.25. The O's held to last year's price for an 18-ounce beer, while the recently sold Dodgers are charging 25 cents more for a 16-ounce cup than they did in 2011. With both starting the season on a high note, maybe fans won't notice until the first slump.
White Sox
Price of a small draft beer: $6.50 The White Sox and Washington held the line from 2011, but that $6.50 price tag in 2012 still puts both teams firmly within the Top 10. Not raising the price of a costly beer doesn't make it any more affordable, unless you plan on hosting a "give everyone a 5 percent raise" promotion night.
Cardinals
Price of a small draft beer: $6.75. The price hasn't changed since last year, but c'mon. You're practically bicycling Budweiser products in from the brewery and the stadium has the Busch family's name on it. This must hurt even worse for Cards fans knowing that they're paying more for 12 ounces of beer than their fellow beer-ballpark fans pay for a pint at Milwaukee's Miller Park ($5.75) or Colorado's Coors Field ($6).
Braves
Price of a small draft beer: $7. Your team collapses at the end of last season and fails to make the playoffs and you still raise the price of a 16-ounce beer by 25 cents. No wonder Coca-Cola is so popular in the ATL.
More From The Street:
-- Demise Of Curt Schilling's Video Game Company To Cost Rhode Island Taxpayers
-- The 10 Most Expensive Trips to Ballgames in 2012
-- The 10 Greatest Ballparks for Foodies
-- The 10 Cheapest Sports Cars of 2012
Popular Stories On ThePostGame:
-- The Truth Is Out There: Which Sports Conspiracy Can You Believe?
-- L.A. Simmers But Doesn't Erupt As Kings Lose Game 4
-- The Hottest Fitness Trend You've Never Tried
-- The Growth Of California Hockey Since The Gretzky Trade
