A major debate among baseball fans is what the sport should do about all-time hits leader Pete Rose, who was banished from the league in 1989 for gambling on the sport.
Now more than a quarter century later, there are some calling for Rose to be reinstated by new MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Does 26 years heal some really deep wounds? Can Manfred move on from the past and acknowledge Rose has paid his dues? Should he?
Manfred opened up about the Rose situation on CNBC’s Squawk Box this past Friday.
I think it’s a question of notice and rules,” Manfred said during the interview. “The most fundamental rule in baseball—it has been there forever—it is Rule 21. It prohibits anybody who is on the field from betting on baseball or betting on any sport. And in fact, the rule is clear that if you bet on baseball, you will be banished for life.”
This rule far out-dates Rose’s situation. MLB itself was embarrassed by the Black Sox scandal of 1919 When Joe Jackson and members of the eventual World Series runner-up Chicago Black Sox admitted to throwing games against the Cincinnati Reds.
However, this doesn’t mean that Manfred is opposed to listening to Rose’s case or potentially working with him to get the former star reinstated.
What I can tell you about Pete Rose is he’s applied for reinstatement. He has the right to do that. I am going to take a full and fresh look,” the new commish said. “Look, the passage of time, if nothing else, changes, I think the situation somewhat. And, you know, Mr. Rose has suggested to me he has things he wants me to understand about the situation. I’ll give him a full opportunity to let me know those things.”
If you were hoping for a quick resolution to this, good luck. Manfred added that there is no timetable for a decision on Rose. The primary reason for this, at least according to Manfred, is he wants to make sure he has all the facts regarding the situation.
Sadly, former commissioner Bud Selig passed the buck here. He was more in tune with the situation than Manfred, and could have made Rose’s reinstatement one of his last decisions as the league’s top dog. Now that it’s left to Manfred, at least Rose will have a fresh set of eyes looking at his case.
Rose, who still holds the MLB record for hits, played from 1963-1984 and earned 17 All-Star Game appearances. He also ranks No. 1 on the all-time list in games played, plate appearances and at-bats. Rose finished his career as a .303 hitter.
Photo: Fox Sports