MLB commissioner to decide on Pete Rose's reinstatement following discussion with Trump
By Jake Seiner, Associated Press
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NEW YORK (AP) - Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred chatted with the ever-entertaining, controversial President Donald Trump a couple of weeks back and one of the topics on the table? Good ol' Pete Rose. Manfred ain't saying much, but he plans to make a call on this eternal baseball legend's reinstatement request.
During a gathering with the Associated Press Sports Editors, Manfred spilled the beans on the meeting, revealing various discussion points, including concerns over Trump's tough immigration policies' potential impact on international ballers from Cuba, Venezuela, and other foreign territories.
But let's get back to Rose. Manfred's entertaining a plea from Southern California lawyer Jeffrey Lenkov to remove Rose from MLB's blacklist. Lenkov, who once repped Rose, submitted the petition following the departed 17-time All-Star's death at age 83 in September.
"Me and Trump have chatted about several issues, Pete Rose included, but I ain't saying more than what I already shared publicly," Manfred said. "I'm holding my tongue on the specifics."
Trump's voiced his support for Rose on social media, announcing plans for a "complete PARDON of Pete Rose." Trump added that Rose, known for betting on his own team to win, "shouldn't have been gambling on baseball," stating only "betting on his team winning" would be a no-no. To be honest, it's unclear what the fuss with the possible pardon might entail — Trump didn't specifically mention that tax case where Rose copped to two counts of filing false tax returns and spent five months in clink in '90.
The president hinted at signing the pardon for Rose "over the next few weeks," but he's been pretty hush-hush on the matter since.
Rose, who bagged 4,256 hits and set records for games (3,562) and plate appearances (15,890), was the '73 National League MVP and formed part of three World Series champions.
An MLB probe conducted by lawyer John M. Dowd found Rose staked multiple bets on the Cincinnati Reds to win from 1985-87 while playing for and managing the team. Rose accepted the permanent ban in '89.
Lenkov's quest is to get Rose reinstated so he can throw his hat into the Hall of Fame ring. Rule adopted by the Hall's board in '91 dictates anyone on the permanent ineligible list can't be considered for election to the Hall. Rose taken a crack at reinstatement in '97 and then in November 2002, but Commissioner Bud Selig refused to rule on his request. Manfred shot down Rose's reinstatement application in 2015.
Manfred considers reinstating Rose as a knotty issue, stating, "It ain't as easy as it seems." He didn't give a timeframe for the decision, except for promising to wrap it up ASAP once everything's settled.
"I'm not gonna brush this off. I'll make a ruling," Manfred said.
If Rose manages to secure reinstatement, he'd have a shot at being considered for a ballot by the Historical Overview Committee, which consists of members picked by the Baseball Writers' Association of America and approved by the Hall's board. Manfred's a part of that board, and he's been keeping in touch with chairman Jane Forbes Clark.
"Believe me, we've had loads of Hall of Fame dialogues about this one," Manfred said.
If reinstated, Rose potentially could be eligible to be placed on a ballot to be considered by the 16-member Classic Baseball Era committee in December 2027.
Manfred believes the connection between baseball and legal sports betting shouldn't sway opinions on Rose's case.
"There's always been a clear boundary between what I, an ordinary citizen, can do and what someone who has the privilege to play or work in Major League Baseball can do in regard to gambling," he said. "The fact that the law's been changed, and we're selling data and/or sponsorships to sports betting enterprises, doesn't change that. It's a privilege to play Major League Baseball. Along with that privilege comes responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is they're not allowed to bet on the game."
Manfred didn't go into detail about his conversations with Trump over foreign-born players, merely stating his concerns about immigration policies' impact on these athletes.
"Given the number of foreign-born players we've got, we're always on edge about immigration," Manfred said. "We've had chats with the administration about this. And, you know, they're always keen on sports. They grasp the unique aspect of needing freedom to move back and forth, and I'll just leave it at that."
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- Despite President Trump's voiced support for Pete Rose's reinstatement and plans for a potential pardon, Manfred has remained tight-lipped about the matter, stating that a decision regarding Rose's request for reinstatement will be made in due time.
- Jeffrey Lenkov, a lawyer who previously represented Pete Rose, has submitted a petition for Rose's reinstatement following his death at age 83 in September, hoping to allow Rose to be eligible for the Hall of Fame.
- During a gathering with the Associated Press Sports Editors, Commissioner Manfred expressed concerns about Trump's immigration policies' potential impact on international baseball players coming from countries such as Cuba and Venezuela.
- Manfred believes that the connection between baseball and legal sports betting should not influence opinions on Pete Rose's case, saying that the rule against players betting on the game remains in place, regardless of changes in the law or the selling of data and sponsorships to sports betting enterprises.
