Pete Rose, a block away and impossibly far from the Hall of Fame

[lidspinner]

Pete Rose is trash. He was my favorite player as a kid. I even wore #14 three or four different years in his honor. Then I grew up, he got kicked out of baseball, and he embarrassed himself further by lying about it for far too many years. I won't even get into the kind of husband and father he's been. His problem has always been that he thinks of himself as bigger than the game. He still comes across that way in his interviews.

He's desperate to get back in baseball because he knows someone will pay him in some capacity. That's all it's ever been about for Pete. He doesn't care about the game. He only cares about getting a paycheck at the expense of the game.

So I take it you don't have to many favorites in today's game? I can't think of one single player that plays for the love of the game.....not one...if they did play for them love of the game they would not ask for such a high salary and ask management to take the millions they could be making and use it to help pay for some more talent......and I am not talking about hometown discounts....if a player plays for the love of the game he would play for enough of a salary so he and his family can be comfortable......back when Pete played, players had part time jobs in the off season because they just didn't make great money unless you were a star.....nowadays the guys riding the bench makes great money. I could go on and on, but it just isn't worth it.....Pete rose was a bum of a father and husband.....Pete gambled on baseball and deserved his punishment, I get it. But Pete put up numbers like no other and probably no other ever will, he hustled every single play regardless of being up 10 runs or down 10 runs.....he never took a play off, he played every songle play like Ryan freel times 100 and he hit like Tony Gwynn times 10, and he was a Red and is a Red for life. He has embarrassed me these past 20 years and I have refused to wear my 14 jersey that my wife got me for Christmas a few years back.....but I am ready to move on....

if Pete would have walked in and killed Mr. Dowd in front of Marge Schott and on life TV then commenced to burn all the evidence, he would be getting out of prison right now and the HOF would be cordially inviting him to attend his induction ceremony the first year he walked free......and that my friends is what is sad, Pete could have been a killer and been in better standing with you all.

[dougdirt]

So I take it you don't have to many favorites in today's game? I can't think of one single player that plays for the love of the game.....not one...if they did play for them love of the game they would not ask for such a high salary and ask management to take the millions they could be making and use it to help pay for some more talent......and I am not talking about hometown discounts....if a player plays for the love of the game he would play for enough of a salary so he and his family can be comfortable......back when Pete played, players had part time jobs in the off season because they just didn't make great money unless you were a star.....nowadays the guys riding the bench makes great money. I could go on and on, but it just isn't worth it.....Pete rose was a bum of a father and husband.....Pete gambled on baseball and deserved his punishment, I get it. But Pete put up numbers like no other and probably no other ever will, he hustled every single play regardless of being up 10 runs or down 10 runs.....he never took a play off, he played every songle play like Ryan freel times 100 and he hit like Tony Gwynn times 10, and he was a Red and is a Red for life. He has embarrassed me these past 20 years and I have refused to wear my 14 jersey that my wife got me for Christmas a few years back.....but I am ready to move on....if Pete would have walked in and killed Mr. Dowd in front of Marge Schott and on life TV then commenced to burn all the evidence, he would be getting out of prison right now and the HOF would be cordially inviting him to attend his induction ceremony the first year he walked free......and that my friends is what is sad, Pete could have been a killer and been in better standing with you all.

Just because you get paid market value doesn't mean you don't love the game.

[CmdrCody]

So I take it you don't have to many favorites in today's game? I can't think of one single player that plays for the love of the game.....not one...if they did play for them love of the game they would not ask for such a high salary and ask management to take the millions they could be making and use it to help pay for some more talent......and I am not talking about hometown discounts....if a player plays for the love of the game he would play for enough of a salary so he and his family can be comfortable......back when Pete played, players had part time jobs in the off season because they just didn't make great money unless you were a star.....nowadays the guys riding the bench makes great money. I could go on and on, but it just isn't worth it.....Pete rose was a bum of a father and husband.....Pete gambled on baseball and deserved his punishment, I get it. But Pete put up numbers like no other and probably no other ever will, he hustled every single play regardless of being up 10 runs or down 10 runs.....he never took a play off, he played every songle play like Ryan freel times 100 and he hit like Tony Gwynn times 10, and he was a Red and is a Red for life. He has embarrassed me these past 20 years and I have refused to wear my 14 jersey that my wife got me for Christmas a few years back.....but I am ready to move on....

if Pete would have walked in and killed Mr. Dowd in front of Marge Schott and on life TV then commenced to burn all the evidence, he would be getting out of prison right now and the HOF would be cordially inviting him to attend his induction ceremony the first year he walked free......and that my friends is what is sad, Pete could have been a killer and been in better standing with you all.

Can I have what you're having?

Really? Pete could have committed murder and got elected to the HOF? I for one don't think so.

Maybe you are just trying to be soooooo sarcastic, but you lose touch with reality here.

I do agree Pete is no worse than the present players, who today apologized because they got CAUGHT!

[New York Red]

So I take it you don't have to many favorites in today's game? I can't think of one single player that plays for the love of the game.....not one...if they did play for them love of the game they would not ask for such a high salary and ask management to take the millions they could be making and use it to help pay for some more talent......and I am not talking about hometown discounts....if a player plays for the love of the game he would play for enough of a salary so he and his family can be comfortable......back when Pete played, players had part time jobs in the off season because they just didn't make great money unless you were a star.....nowadays the guys riding the bench makes great money. I could go on and on, but it just isn't worth it.....Pete rose was a bum of a father and husband.....Pete gambled on baseball and deserved his punishment, I get it. But Pete put up numbers like no other and probably no other ever will, he hustled every single play regardless of being up 10 runs or down 10 runs.....he never took a play off, he played every songle play like Ryan freel times 100 and he hit like Tony Gwynn times 10, and he was a Red and is a Red for life. He has embarrassed me these past 20 years and I have refused to wear my 14 jersey that my wife got me for Christmas a few years back.....but I am ready to move on....

if Pete would have walked in and killed Mr. Dowd in front of Marge Schott and on life TV then commenced to burn all the evidence, he would be getting out of prison right now and the HOF would be cordially inviting him to attend his induction ceremony the first year he walked free......and that my friends is what is sad, Pete could have been a killer and been in better standing with you all.

I would give a better reply, but I see a lot of this > ...... and a lot of that > ...... and not many sentences or paragraphs. I'm not sure what your point is, other than the final "sentence". Regarding that, there have been several players over the past couple decades whom I have the same opinion I have of Pete. None are/were killers (that I'm aware of).

[bob jones]

I have a great poster of his first game when he is taking the field on opening day he is running out to his position flanked by gordie coleman and f robinson and gene freese is also in the photo

[lidspinner]

Can I have what you're having?

Really? Pete could have committed murder and got elected to the HOF? I for one don't think so.

Maybe you are just trying to be soooooo sarcastic, but you lose touch with reality here.

I do agree Pete is no worse than the present players, who today apologized because they got CAUGHT!

Yes....he would've committed murder and paid a high priced attorney and got off on a technicality and probably only spent 10 years in prison....got out and walked to the HOF amd give his speech and all would be better than it is now as far as his standing with baseball. Yes I am serious.

[lidspinner]

I would give a better reply, but I see a lot of this > ...... and a lot of that > ...... and not many sentences or paragraphs. I'm not sure what your point is, other than the final "sentence". Regarding that, there have been several players over the past couple decades whom I have the same opinion I have of Pete. None are/were killers (that I'm aware of).

Huh.........what..........who......<>.......hello. ...my point with him being a killer is I am of the belief if he killed someone and spent his time in prison and got out that everyone would be saying that Pete has done his time and its time to give him his second chance......basically, in English, I believe Pete would be in better standing with baseball people had he killed someone and spent 25 years in prison and just got out.....I think people would be ready to forgive him and move on...probably even the HOF. 20 years is enough to hate Pete and punish him. His barbaric like numbers were not cheated, his hustle was not faked, his passion was not a show, his love for the game was never in lingo......time to move on, Pete has spent enough time away from the game.

[George Anderson]

Huh.........what..........who......<>.......hello. ...my point with him being a killer is I am of the belief if he killed someone and spent his time in prison and got out that everyone would be saying that Pete has done his time and its time to give him his second chance......basically, in English, I believe Pete would be in better standing with baseball people had he killed someone and spent 25 years in prison and just got out.....I think people would be ready to forgive him and move on...probably even the HOF. 20 years is enough to hate Pete and punish him. His barbaric like numbers were not cheated, his hustle was not faked, his passion was not a show, his love for the game was never in lingo......time to move on, Pete has spent enough time away from the game.

You mean the same guy who still goes to the race track frequently and sits in a casino and signs autographs daily after MLB told him back in 89' he needed to reconfigure his life if he ever wanted to get back in the game? He has had many chances and he has yet to change his ways.

Lets go ahead play the game of had Pete murdered instead of gambled as his crime. The thing is after 25 years Pete would still be commiting murders like he is still gambling and if you wanted the details of the murders he would be happy to give them to you after you paid him $29.95 for his new tell all book.

Army Brat had it 100% right. Rose's main motivation to get back in to baseball is based on nothing more than making a buck. The HOF means little to him. Pete has always been about doing whatever needed to be done no matter how unethical to load his pockets with as many Benjamins as possible. Pardon me if I fell zero sympathy for him.

[CmdrCody]

Yes....he would've committed murder and paid a high priced attorney and got off on a technicality and probably only spent 10 years in prison....got out and walked to the HOF amd give his speech and all would be better than it is now as far as his standing with baseball. Yes I am serious.

No, I don't see that happening in the real world.

[CmdrCody]

You mean the same guy who still goes to the race track frequently and sits in a casino and signs autographs daily after MLB told him back in 89' he needed to reconfigure his life if he ever wanted to get back in the game? He has had many chances and he has yet to change his ways.

Lets go ahead play the game of had Pete murdered instead of gambled as his crime. The thing is after 25 years Pete would still be commiting murders like he is still gambling and if you wanted the details of the murders he would be happy to give them to you after you paid him $29.95 for his new tell all book.

Army Brat had it 100% right. Rose's main motivation to get back in to baseball is based on nothing more than making a buck. The HOF means little to him. Pete has always been about doing whatever needed to be done no matter how unethical to load his pockets with as many Benjamins as possible. Pardon me if I fell zero sympathy for him.

Exactly

[lidspinner]

tough crowd.....I guess we will agree to disagree....I see nothing wrong with Pete going to race tracks and casinos and signing autographs for money, as long as he is not gambling on Baseball then he can do what he wants to make a buck for he and his family.....I dont think that is what MLB meant when it told him to reconfigure his life.....maybe it was, but Pete is not breaking the law but doing the things he is doing now, matter of fact if he were a player plying in todays game he would not be breaking his contract by doing any of those things either.....

I respect y'alls opinion but I dont agree with it.....Maybe I would not feel the same way if he played for the Cardinals, but even if he did I can promise you one thing, I would agree that it is time to move on and give Pete his props.

one last item.....I look at his stats, his hustle, his passion to go 100 miles per hour regardless of what the score or what type of game it was, just his overall on field baseball persona.....Then I try to find someone who also has those same qualities in the game today or recent past and I cannot find any....and when I do find someone who has done something similar such as Barry Bonds or any other guy who put fear in opposing teams I always see that asterisk that says they got those stats from cheating, or at least some of those stats....Pete Rose will never be remembered for the dominant hitter he was because everyone will associate him with his gambling just as they associate Barry with steroids......Just as Roger Clemens will be compared to steroids, just as A-Rod......and Pete did it clean, Pete did while never giving less than 100%, Pete played the game like each and every person here would LOVE to have their son play the game. Tony Gwynn is the only person I can find that is even in the same ball park as Pete but even Tony did not hustle at all times and even Tony would not play any and every spot on the diamond(although Tony did play multiple spots at times)....

I just would love for people and MLB mainly to recognize Pete for his accomplishments on the field and for how he played the game....I dont want them to let him manage the Reds or even be an assistant coach(although he would be a great hitting coach), but I think MLB could use Pete as a tool to show the younger generation how to play the game and how to go about preparing for the game and also how easy it is to lose everything you have worked for in a matter of minutes. That is all I am asking for yet people still want to hang Pete from a pole in times square for something that happened 20+ years ago. THe simple fact that Mark McGwire is coaching in MLB is so laughable to me....yes, lets allow this guy to influence young impressionable players....I am sure Mark is regretting every last needle he took, but it appears MLB has forgiven him in less than 10 years. How is that right?

[GAC]

They don't all get a second chance. Some are punished for life. Just like Pete.

I never said all get a second chance. While true, I get tired of hearing this reasoning of "If they didn't want to go to jail, or be punished, then they shouldn't have broken the law/rule". We're a society that believes in rehabilitation, redeeming people, even for some serious crimes, giving them second chances, and the opportunity to contribute positively to society once again.

I grew up in the 60s admiring/idolizing this guy. IMO, one of the greatest ballplayers to ever play the game. Yes, what he did was wrong and deserved punishment. But the punishment has been enough IMO (almost 25 years). And he'll always carry that stigma, within the public's eye, that will never go away, of what he did.

But he belongs in the HOF. And while he should never be able to manage again at the major league level, he should be allowed to work in some capacity within baseball to redeem himself and contribute.

Human life is worth that effort.

[CmdrCody]

I never said all get a second chance. While true, I get tired of hearing this reasoning of "If they didn't want to go to jail, or be punished, then they shouldn't have broken the law/rule". We're a society that believes in rehabilitation, redeeming people, even for some serious crimes, giving them second chances, and the opportunity to contribute positively to society once again.

I grew up in the 60s admiring/idolizing this guy. IMO, one of the greatest ballplayers to ever play the game. Yes, what he did was wrong and deserved punishment. But the punishment has been enough IMO (almost 25 years). And he'll always carry that stigma, within the public's eye, that will never go away, of what he did.

But he belongs in the HOF. And while he should never be able to manage again at the major league level, he should be allowed to work in some capacity within baseball to redeem himself and contribute.

Human life is worth that effort.

The thing about rehabilitation is that the person needs to change. In AA you have to acknowledge your problem, the same with drug rehab. Anyone who wants to beat those addictions can't have a drink or do any drugs. Pete's addiction is gambling. From what ive read Pete still gambles, and pretends its not so.