-David Strobach-

“The banishment for life of Pete Rose from baseball is the sad end of a sorry episode. One of the game’s greatest players has engaged in a variety of acts which have stained the game, and he must now live with the consequences of those acts. By choosing not to come to a hearing before me, and by choosing not to proffer any testimony or evidence contrary to the evidence and information contained in the report of the Special Counsel to the Commissioner, Mr. Rose has accepted baseball’s ultimate sanction, lifetime ineligibility.”

Statement by then Commissioner
of Baseball, A. Bartlett Giamatti,
August 24, 1989

Bartlett Giamatti Source: mlbreports.com

Today, the commissioner of baseball, Robert Manfred, has decided to uphold the ban of Pete Rose from baseball with this following statement,

“Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing … or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of all the circumstances that led to his permanent ineligibility in 1989.”

Rob Manfred and Pete Rose Source: http://www.answers.com

Pete Rose was caught gambling on MLB teams and even his own, the Reds.  He was rightfully banned and thankfully, that was upheld.  Even worse is that he is STILL gambling to this day on the sport.  Baseball is a sport with a beautiful history, celebrating all the good hearted players, but Pete Rose is not one of those players.  He left the biggest black mark on baseball since the 1919 Black Sox, who were also all banished from baseball.  None of the 1919 Black Sox players including Joe Jackson got reinstated or got a shot at the Hall of Fame, so why should Rose?  The Hall of Fame is for CLEAN and RESPECTED players, not crooks.  “Home Run King” Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire have not been voted into the Hall of Fame, most likely because of their link to PEDs.  That sends a message to baseball players that you don’t’ belong in the MLB if you don’t abide by the rules.  Gambling may or may not have had any affect on his performance, but what he did was wrong and he deserves the consequences. The fact that he is still betting and  just goes to show that some people never get the message…..

Source: http://www.daytondailynews.com

Tommy Lasorda preaches my thoughts here:

http://vplayer.nbcsports.com/p/C_ZQDC/philly/select/media/KVji5qsPS1oL?parentUrl=&t=54

Pete Rose paid for his mistake.  Rightfully so, he is still paying for it now.  Kudos to Manfred for keeping Rose out of baseball.

What Are Your Thoughts?