Baseball legend Pete Rose came out with his new book "Prision without bars'' last week. After agreeing to a lifetime suspension from baseball more than a decade ago he now finally admits that he did indeed wager bets on baseball. He bet on the very team he was managing, the Cincinnati Reds. Rose says he only bet on his team to win and never from his stadium office but from his home. This admission comes after years of denial that he ever bet on baseball.

Why now? What makes his timing so special? One reason is probably because he needs the money and this book will sell alot of copies. But the main reason is probably because his normal eligiblity to Baseball's Hall of Fame runs out in 2 years.After that he would have to face the Veterans committee which is much more strick than the normal voting process. Since he must first be reinstated to baseball before he can be nominated to the Hall of Fame he is putting on the all out push to get back in. The question is should he?

There is no doubt that Pete Rose has the stats to be in the Hall of Fame. No player has accomplished so much with determination than Pete Rose. He was not a natural raw talent performer. He had to work for everything he did.I was with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 when the Phils won their one and only World Championship. We would have not done that without Pete Rose. I have met Pete Rose. He's a good guy. But does that excuse what he did? Does baseball give Rose a pass and still ban "Shoeless" Joe Jackson? Jackson was a member of the eight "Black Sox" - the name given the Chiacgo White Sox after the baseball betting scandal in 1919. Many of us think he had no or very little part of that scandal. He had an outstanding World Series and it does not appear he threw any game.Yet he was never reinstated or made a member of the Hall.

Baseball rule 21(D) "Betting on ballgames by any player,umpire,club or league official or employee who shall bet any sum whatsovever upon a baseball game which the bettor has a duty to perform  shall be declared PERMANENTLY ineligible" This poster in large letters is in every dugout and locker room in pro baseball. From rookie league minor league baseball to major league baseball. I, like Rose, signed a form every season agreeing that we would never bet on baseball. Some ask why betting in baseball is such a big issue. The fact is that baseball was almost destroyed in 1919 when the Chicago White Sox had eight players that bet and threw the World Series. Had Commissioner Landis not stepped in and acted with the resolve that he did baseball may have died because the public would have never regained faith.And Baseball would have never regained it's integrity.

Pete Rose was betting on his team,the Reds, and managing them. While he may have bet on them to win he still could have made decisions that were based on his gambling. Changing of the lineup. Taking a pitcher out to early or leaving them in to long. Starting a player that is hurt that really should not be playing. All of these and more are possible and probably did factor in. This is totally unacceptable.As manager he had total control of these decisions.As a member of the baseball family these actions strongly offend me.

 

The American people are a forgiving group. If Pete had admitted his problem a decade ago and started to make ammends he perhaps would be back in baseball. Instead he blamed baseball. He blamed his former friends. He lied to the American public and his former teammates. He disgraced himself and hurt America's pastime.Also why not come out in a public setting and admit this instead of writing a book where he profits from the announcement? Perhaps he should have all the proceeds of the book go to a gambling addiction program. But this is not the case. Even if he does not get back into baseball he will still make money on the book.

 I do believe that he has a sickness and that the gambling addiction is a disease. But even so he still must face the actions of that addiction and what he did. To this day he has not.

So should Pete Rose be allowed back into baseball - NO. Should Pete Rose be allowed in the Hall of Fame - NO. I am not saying ever but this is not the time. Rose needs to give back to all the people he lied to. He needs to realize the damage he did to the integrity of baseball. One day he may be ready to again be a part of the baseball family. But I am a part of the baseball family and for now I say no. And that's my Field of Dreams.

 

 

PULL The Tarps.....It Takes Two To Speak Truth...One To Speak..And Another To Hear.....That's my Field of Dreams Today...Be Safe...Be Brave..Never Let Go.."Sic Semper Tyrannis"...Let's Roll!!