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By Jim Caltagirone
For the Mirror
The MLB lockout produced something unexpected in early February when, amidst the posturing of owners and players, Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Paul Sewald spoke candidly about the impact of a new collective bargaining agreement on the fans.
The fans.
You know, those people who attend the games, buy the merchandise, and suffer through the seemingly endless string of television commercials so that $2 billion in ad revenue can pour into the game's coffers.
To be sure, during his enlightening interview with a Seattle radio station, Sewald shared his views on salary, arbitration, player bonus pools and service time.
But to his credit, he expressed sensitivity to an issue that fans, especially in the smaller markets, are most vested in: Competitive integrity.
"We want to make sure that fans that buy season tickets know that not everyone has the ability to spend $250 million on their payroll, but we definitely think that all owners can spend a little bit of money and try and make sure that they get you players that are exciting to go watch and feel like they're trying to win games," Sewald said.
"Because as a fan, all you want is your team to win, and you want to make sure that, if you're a fan of the team, that their owner also wants them to win. That seems pretty fair, in our opinion."
The previously dirty secret of tanking has become a mainstream topic of conversation across the sports landscape.
Surprisingly, it's coaches, players and team officials who are shining the spotlight, not conspiracy theorists on social media.
Two former NFL head coaches recently revealed that monetary incentives were offered for team performances that were more likely to net top draft picks than victories on the field.
Management of the NBA's 76ers called for patience throughout "The Process," an eight-year rebuilding phase that included a 10-72 season.
Sewald referenced MLB teams that stash their portion of revenue sharing while accumulating top-five draft picks, hoping to draft well and spend big when the stars appear to align for a championship run.
The problem is that unforeseen clouds can obscure the light, eclipsing brilliant strategy with darkest reality.
As Sewald said, the "next thing you know, you haven't put a decent team on the field for five, six years, and we want to fix that."
With a full spring training schedule in jeopardy, the sport cannot afford to alienate a fan base that already views inflated player contracts with bewilderment, if not contempt.
Last season, the average of the top 10 salaries in MLB was $35.7 million.
What the sport needs is more ballplayers who think, talk and react like the fans, even when looking out for their own interests.
"If you have the opportunity to fight for your own working conditions, would you fight for your own working conditions," Sewald asked. "That's essentially what we're doing, and it doesn't matter how much money we make or what we do for a living. We get to play a game, but if you've got to fight for your working conditions, I would think that you would as well, and that's essentially what we're doing."
Even if you disagree with Sewald's overall position on the lockout, there's no disputing his views on competitive integrity.
A team can be a lovable loser, but it should at least try to win.
Jim Caltagirone is a monthly contributor to Voice of the Fan. He resides in Altoona.