Selig considering reinstatement for Rose?
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is seriously considering reinstatement for banished former player Pete Rose.
Lobbying for the move began five years ago but died when Selig became convinced Rose was not “reconfiguring” his life, the newspaper report said, part of the late commissioner Bart Giamatti’s demands on Rose when he was ruled ineligible.
“I think a lot of the guys feel that it’s been 20 years now for Pete, and would lean toward leniency and time served,” an unnamed Hall of Famer said, according to the Daily News. “If he had admitted it in the first place and apologized way back then, he’d probably be in the Hall by now.”
If Rose were to become eligible, it stands to reason he would have to be voted into the Hall of Fame by the 65 living members that make up the Veterans Committee.Inclusion on the writers’ ballot expires after 15 years, but Rose has never appeared on their ballot except by write-in.
“I know there are still guys who feel strongly against him,” said another Hall of Famer, according to the report. “And I don’t know if that would change even if Selig clears him.”
This might be like comparing apples to oranges, but to me, players using steroids is 10 times worse than betting on baseball when you’re a manager. I’m not justifying what Rose did, but compared to what these selfish players did in the steroid era, “Charlie Hustle” should get a reprieve.
Gambling never helped Rose accomplish what he did on the field. Was he a scumbag for gambling on games he was managing? Yes. But he would be getting into the Hall of Fame based on what he accomplished as a player, which was (in short) quite a lot.
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It’s hard to care much any more about baseball and the Hall of Fame, though seeing Ricky Henderson get inducted reminds us of the truly great players who once dominated the game.
Rose is a liar and an idiot, but it’s pretty laughable that a player of his caliber is not in the Hall.
I wonder if the next generation will want to forgive the steroids crowd.
The argument for keeping Rose out of the Hall is getting pretty weak during this steroid era. When you look at some of the sacred records that have been broken in recent years, and realize that Barry Bonds WILL BE in the Hall one day, it is appaling to me to see Rose on the outside looking in. As you mentioned, gambling never gave him an advantage in becoming the all time hits leader.
Ok…so they reinstate Rose to baseball. Then some current player is found to have bet on games as well. What happens then? His argument will be that you let Rose back in, why not me? This has nothing to do with hall of fame numbers and everything to do with the integrity of the game. You can’t allow players, managers, or anyone associated with baseball operations to be involved in gambling on your sport…ever. And you shouldn’t make an exception because the guy was a star. Are Rose’s achievements as a player worthy of HOF? Absolutely…but people banned from the game for gambling are not eligible.
I don’t think you can compare this to steroids except that the penalty for both should be the same…lifetime banishment from the game. The difference there is Rose doesn’t have the union representing him.
I agree with T-Bone 100 percent…Rule states those who bet on the game will be banned for life, it does not say a 20 year ban, it doesnt say if you are the all-time hits leader you are exempt from this rule, baseball has always been a game of written and unwritten rules which for the most part have always been followed by the players, coaches and fans…..As much as i want to see pete recognized for his baseball achievements, I cannot overlook the rule of the game…Hopefully in the very near future, the hall will address those who were found to have used performance enhancing drugs to gain an advantage against those who did not, in my opinion, this is just as detrimental to the game, if not more so, than an employee of MLB gambling,these players will soon be HOF eligible and the issue cannot be ignored for the integrity sake of the great game of baseball.
Clearly betting on the game, strikes at the heart of professional sports, unless your talking pro wrestling. I can not imagine how someone can say steroid use is worse. While both acts demonstrate lack of integrity, gambling has always been anathema to baseball and hopefully it always will. Unless Pete Rose acknowledges this and demonstrates a genuine turn of heart–he deserves to be banned. His actions make Bobby Bond’s conduct seems like child’s play. If Pete Rose wishes restoration, he should begin by publicly repudiating his misconduct without equivocation. I have never seen him do this.
He already admitted he bet on baseball after lying to us for 20 years (in his book that nobody bought) but never as a player and never on his own team, so he says. Ok…so now what? He only admitted it because he’s begging to be inducted in the hall. Otherwise, he’d still be lying to our faces like the juice-heads. Nobody apologizes out of guilt, they apologize because they got caught, then lie to us about how they only took it for a year or because of an injury.
I just don’t think you can say one kind of cheating is more acceptable than the other but that’s exactly what baseball has done here. Use roids and you’re done for 50 games. Get caught betting on the game and you’re done for life, no questions asked. Yet both make a mockery of the sport.
I can not imagine how someone can say steroid use is worse.
How so? I’m not defending a manager gambling on games because what Rose did was wrong. But he wasn’t injecting performance-enhancing drugs to gain an edge over his opponents. He wasn’t cheating to break records. I’m not defending what Rose did, but you think gambling in baseball is worse than steroids? At the very least, they’re on the same level.
T-Bone – as always, great points. I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said on this post, even though we’re on slightly opposite sides.
But I’ve got to ask you: Had Rose admitted right away that he bet on baseball and came clean right from the start, would you still feel the same way? What if he begs for forgiveness right away and pleads that his on-field accomplishments aren’t wiped away because of his decision to break a rule while he was a manager?
In other words, would you feel as passionately as you do now if Rose didn’t lie through his teeth for 15-plus years? Would you be more willing to say, “Hey, he was wrong but at least he didn’t lie like these players on roids. His on-field accomplishments shouldn’t be taken away.”
If you still say yes “he still broke a rule no matter what,” then so be it. But then I better hear you campaigning that Gaylord Perry be taken out of the Hall because he used to doctor baseballs…
Perry should never have been inducted and I’ve felt that way since the day it was announced. The only reason he got in is because he was always good for a quote and the writers love that kind of guy (which is why Schilling will get in as well). Otherwise Jim Rice would have gotten in a decade ago, and deservedly so.
Had Rose admitted he bet on baseball back in 1990, I may have a bit more compassion for him as a person, but I don’t think I would feel he belongs in the hall of fame any more than I do now. Ok…so he hypothetically admitted it. Now what? Unfortunately Rose the player and Rose the manager are the same guy. Great…he bet on his team to win. Would that have zero effect on how he manages his team? Or do you think with money riding on it he might leave a pitcher in for one more batter than he normally would. Or Bring a reliever in when normally he might not. He’s not managing with a clear head, he’s managing with the monkey of debt on his back if he loses, and that can effect your decision making, which effects the games. What if he continued to get deeper in debt…do you think a guy with his lack of character would be immune to throwing his own games to win back his money and pay his bookies off? Or maybe they would threaten to expose his gambling habits if he didn’t start managing to lose, or forgive all of his debt if he threw the games they told him to?
Gambling and roids…I don’t think one is any worse than the other. Apparently MLB does or there would be both rules on the wall of every lockerroom, not just one of them.
I don’t disagree with you on what kind of effect gambling can have on a game.
I think the difference here is that I can separate Rose the player from Rose the manager. Rose the player deserves to be in the Hall. But the question becomes: Does Rose the manager take away everything Rose the player accomplished on the field? You say yes, I say no.
But hey look, again, I’m not defending what Rose did. If this is his lifetime punishment for gambling on the game, then so be it. I’m not going to lose sleep over it, nor do I think him not being in the Hall is some grave injustice to the game of baseball.
I just don’t know how to separate the two, but we are in agreement…his not being in the hall of fame is no injustice. He knew the consequences every time he placed a bet and he has nobody to blame but himself. Yet, he’s blamed everybody but.
I think the mere fact that Pete Rose has been kept out of the Hall for this long has kept Cooperstown honest. That being said, I still don’t think you should let him in. I’m glad guys like Rose and Shoeless Joe are banned, only because it adds this mystique and exclusiveness to the club. The connection between baseball, the player, and the fan is closer than in any sport. Cheating or gambling slights everything, especially the fan. And who comprises the Hall of Committee? Essentially, it’s fans.
They had a list of probable inductees on ESPN after Henderson and Rise were inducted. It included Edgar Martinez, Robin Ventura, Kevin Appier, etc. The list was a joke, and that made me smile. They’re aren’t many deserving individuals that remain outside of those who used steroids. If baseball wants to be smart, they’ll wait as long as they have for Rose to inducts guys like Bonds, McGwire, Palmeiro, and Sosa. Still, I don’t think they’ll be inducted in during their lifetime. At least I hope.
What I’m trying to say is that these next few years is a time when baseball can distance themselves from this era by not letting any of these players in. It’d be fine with me if nobody was inducted for the next 3-5 years. Judging by that list (and the unnamed steroid users), the only person off the top of my head that is deserving is Roberto Alomar.
Well said, Christopher. After watching Henderson’s and Rice’s speeches, I just wish either of them made a reference to doing it “clean”. The Hall of Famers are the guys that need to send a message to today’s players that this crap won’t be tolerated.
Robin Ventura should be inducted for getting his head smashed in by 80-year-old Nolan Ryan. One of the most memorable baseball moments from the past 20 years….