Pete Rose poll on ESPN front page

[Roady]

If Rose had ever bet against a team that he was playing for or managing, I'd say let the lifetime ban follow him to the grave; that's not the case.

I don't know, when people debate about who does or does not belong in the HoF because of off-field conduct - me, I always think about that racist nutcase Ty Cobb, and I think that puts certain things in perspective.

I agree about Rose.

You should do more homework on Ty Cobb. A lot of people let the book of a broke writer, later turned into a fantasy movie, influence their idea of Cobb. The same writer who wrote a totally different book about Cobb when Cobb was alive.
There is no evidence that Cobb was a racist. He used be praised by the early black players and there are many pics of Cobb with young black players such as Hank Aaron.

[johnsontravis@ymail.com]

But how does he get into the hall of fame even if unbanned? He is past his eligibility so they would have to make a special exception etc. It isn't like getting unbanned is his golden ticket.

[Roady]

But how does he get into the hall of fame even if unbanned? He is past his eligibility so they would have to make a special exception etc. It isn't like getting unbanned is his golden ticket.

Veterans committee

[helf35]

I have seen interviews with Bench and Schmidt and I know they both want him in. I'm sure the majority of the guys that played with him would like to see him in. I think the real question is what are the guys opinions from the 80's go present day?

[Skizzick]

I was listening to the radio a couple days ago and I think they said F. Robinson is very much against it. Not sure if that was all, but that's who I heard in the small clip. Very curious about the other members.

Robinson is a known curmudgeon who has been very vocal about Pete not getting into the Hall. Unfortunately he's on the Veterans Committee. I doubt the others are that against it, especially considering Joe Morgan is one of them.

[godwulf]

Now that you mention it, I remember now Mike Schmidt ruffling some feathers, to say the least, when he talked about Pete Rose's situation in his own HoF acceptance speech.

And I will do some further "homework" on Cobb, and I sincerely hope that what I said about him turns out to be wrong.

[Mark17]

If Rose had ever bet against a team that he was playing for or managing, I'd say let the lifetime ban follow him to the grave; that's not the case.

If Rose bet on his own team some of the time, but not all of the time, then the games he was betting on them, he was more apt to use his better players, leave his best starters in there, go to the bullpen earlier, and so on.

The games he did not bet on his own team, he'd be more likely to give his best guys a rest, pull a top starter early to save his arm, maybe go with a lesser reliever if the game wasn't close.

So I'd say, when you bet on your own team some of the time, the games you don't bet on them, you are, in a sense, betting against them.

[earlywynnfan]

I've always said to put Rose in the HOF and stamp on his plaque "Bet on baseball as a manager."

Jackson took the gamblers' money, that's pretty guilty in my book.

Ken

[Roady]

If Rose bet on his own team some of the time, but not all of the time, then the games he was betting on them, he was more apt to use his better players, leave his best starters in there, go to the bullpen earlier, and so on.

The games he did not bet on his own team, he'd be more likely to give his best guys a rest, pull a top starter early to save his arm, maybe go with a lesser reliever if the game wasn't close.

So I'd say, when you bet on your own team some of the time, the games you don't bet on them, you are, in a sense, betting against them.

That is an outstanding point and one I not given any thought to.
Thanks for the lesson.

[Skizzick]

If Rose bet on his own team some of the time, but not all of the time, then the games he was betting on them, he was more apt to use his better players, leave his best starters in there, go to the bullpen earlier, and so on.

The games he did not bet on his own team, he'd be more likely to give his best guys a rest, pull a top starter early to save his arm, maybe go with a lesser reliever if the game wasn't close.

So I'd say, when you bet on your own team some of the time, the games you don't bet on them, you are, in a sense, betting against them.

Fair point, but even if they wanted to keep the lifetime ban from being associated with a team, why can't they just put him in the Hall of Fame. It is a separate organization from the MLB anyway. They only keep Rose and Jackson out of the Hall of Fame at the behest of the MLB.