Pete Rose Isn’t The Problem

(Photo Credit: Mick Lite)

 “Any player, umpire, or club or league official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible.”

The rule is clear. If you bet on baseball, you will be kicked out of the game. Pete Rose has been kicked out of the game for his role in betting on baseball as a manager. After years of denying that he even bet on baseball as a manager, he finally fessed up to it, in hopes he would be reinstated.

For years, former MLB Commissioner, Bud Selig, ignored Rose’s petition for reinstatement. With Rob Manfred taking over at the helm there would be a new opportunity for potential reinstatement. So, Rose pressed hard. He had seen the light. He bet on baseball as a manager, only as a manager and never against his own team.

The strategy appeared to be working as he had been gaining steam for possible reinstatement over the recent years. Even those that thought Rose did a horrible thing were beginning to come around to the thought that he had served his time.

But yesterday, ESPN and Outside the Lines broke news and discovered evidence that Pete Rose had bet on baseball as a player – several times. This news should not come as shocking to anybody. Rose had lied for years and then tried to cover-up with a half-truth. However, it doesn’t change the punishment for Rose at all. If you bet on baseball in any type of role with the MLB you are guilty. This just means Rose lied to us.

America hates liars. We cannot stand liars. If you just come clean we will likely forgive you for all your transgressions. Think of the Steroid Era in baseball. Who do we hate? Alex Rodriguez, Ryan Braun, Big Mac, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, etc.. Who did we give a free pass to? Andy Pettitte – Do you even remember he used? You should remember Pettitte denied for years until the Mitchell Report named him and then he changed his story a few times. He gets passed on as clean (despite also being a liar for quite some time). Jhonny Peralta – While Braun was busy trying to save his name and ruin lives, Peralta accepted his suspension and got a handsome payday with the Cardinals. David Ortiz’s name ended up getting leaked and ‘Big Papi’ went on the defensive, he didn’t knowingly use and if he did he was sorry. The public loves the confession.

So now that we have proof that Rose has lied, yet again. It will probably lead to Manfred ignoring his petition for reinstatement. He will be denied for years to come and will likely never gain entry in the Hall of Fame.

Rose isn’t the problem. Baseball itself is the problem.

Let’s get one thing clear. The MLB needs to have rules against gambling and betting on baseball from within. You cannot have players throwing games.

Yet, Baseball needs to get off the pedestal of what is right and wrong. Baseball loves to tout outstanding morale fiber. Integrity, honesty, purity, sincerity, tradition and all those other virtues.

You cannot bet on baseball. But the MLB can support gambling operations like DraftKings and FanDuel. The growing popularity of the sites cannot be ignored and the growing partnership with MLB shows that baseball cares about the almighty dollar.

I’m not saying what Rose did was correct in any way. It is a Pandora’s Box and opens up so many possibilities for cheating in the game. What I am saying is that the MLB should not be supporting gambling sites. The hypocrisy of the MLB should not be overlooked. If they want to have a game full of virtue then they should not go around and promote the very things they are against.

When it came to PEDs, Baseball turned the other way. They knew about it. Bud Selig knew about it. Writers knew about it. Players knew about it. Everyone looked the other way because of the revenue that it brought it. Finally, when they wanted to clean the game up they shunned all these PED users, despite being in bed with them in previous years.

Major League Baseball has a decision to make right now. Stop supporting gambling and the attention that it has brought to the game, then keep all the offenders out of baseball and the Hall of Fame. Or, continue to support betting and everything it brings to the game and allow Rose to be in the Hall of Fame at the very least. Keep him away from baseball activities and jobs, he shouldn’t be completely brought back.

Employees, coaches and players should not bet on baseball. But, Baseball should not support betting if that rule is going to exist.

Stop the hypocrisy.