Adam Wainwright pleads with Cardinals fans for patience

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright wants fans to know that the players want to play baseball — but they have no choice but to wait for now.

As the MLB lockout continues deep into what would have been spring training, anti-owner sentiment is on the rise. This is after Rob Manfred opted to cancel Opening Day and the first two series’ of the season thanks to a week of failed negotiations by MLB and the MLBPA.

From the outside looking in, the players appeared to have more wiggle room than owners, who simply thought if they waited the MLBPA out, eventually they would show some cracks. That was not the case. A recent report revealing which four owners were against raising the luxury tax for competitive balance only has supporters of the sport more angry.

St. Louis Cardinals: Adam Wainwright thinking about the fans

Cardinals legend Adam Wainwright discussed his preparation for the season, and how different it is from years past. He’s been training at his Georgia home, perhaps giving him an early preview of what retirement will be like.

But the veteran pitcher has at least one more year in him, and he stands with his fellow players as they wait out the lockout.

"“I think they wanted to put more pressure on the players, miss a few games and make us really feel it. But as history has proven, the players aren’t gonna crack. They’re gonna have to be reasonable and come to the table with their offers,” Wainwright said, per an interview with 5 On Your Side’s Frank Cusumano. “The one thing I do want to stress, though, the one thing that’s not lost on us that can seem like it is, is we love our fans. We love the game of baseball, and we’re trying to do what we think is right for our players coming up, but it doesn’t mean we don’t love our fans and appreciate them so much. We do love them. We can’t wait to get back out there and play in front of them again.”"

That sentiment is reflected around baseball. It’s important to remember that the owners implemented this lockout — not the players. When we come with the pitchforks, head to the league office.