In the public court of opinion the jury has reached a verdict: Guilty. The sentence, continued banishment due to Rose showing no sign of remorse.
The jury is made up of a panel of baseball experts and former players. Among them Joe Morgan, Ferguson Jenkins, Rob Dibble, Pete Rose Jr.
?Do you see any contrition there? I don?t. If you?re asking for someone to show you some sympathy, I believe you should show remorse whether you?re ?built that way? or not.? Joe Morgan's reaction to an excerpt from Rose?s book.
Here?s the excerpt from the aforementioned book Pete Rose: My Prison without Bars: ?I?m sure that I?m supposed to act all sorry or sad or guilty now that I?ve accepted that I?ve done something wrong. But you see, I?m just not built that way?So let?s leave it like this: I?m sorry it happened, and I?m sorry for all the people, fans and family that it hurt. Let?s move on.?
Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins a 284 game winner was elected to the Hall in 1991, his views on Rose is no secret. ?Knowing what I know now, I will never support your reinstatement to the game or your bid for the hall.?
Jenkins reasoning to the media, ?Hey, we didn?t make the millions these guys are making today, but surely you can find a way to make some money without embarrassing baseball?You broke a major rule on betting on baseball.?
It is known throughout the sport that betting on baseball whether it is any game or especially the team the gambler plays for that it calls for banishment from the game. If any player does not know, it is posted on the wall of every clubhouse to be seen.
?I just think it?s hogwash to say that he should be put back into the game just because the public wants it,? Hall of Famer Hank Aaron said. ?A rule is a rule, and the rule is on every clubhouse door that you can?t bet on baseball.?
But not everyone is against Rose, former player Rob Dibble and Rose?s own son Pete Jr. are quick to his defense.
?What are you going to do? What can you say? You?ve got to support him,? said Rose Jr. in an Espn interview.
As for Rose?s comment in his book, ?you can never tell when anything? bothering him?He?s got the gift that he doesn?t do it, and it?s amazing.? Rose Jr. said.
But there is a small following left from the herd of ex-supporters, leading a charge for Rose to be at least inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Rob Dibble is very adamant that Rose should accept his lifetime banishment from baseball, but that should not include denial into the Hall.
In his article Dibble explains, ?The hall is a museum?A place where fans can go to appreciate and respect the history of the sport. And like it or not, despite his misgivings, Pete remains baseball?s all-time leading hitter. He worked to hard to earn a place in baseball?s history to be forsaken.?
Dibble says, ?I was in the locker room, when we?d joke that if two cockroaches took off across the floor, Pete would bet on who?d make it first. And I was also on the field when Pete managed the Reds to countless wins?But, to me, it was evident that Pete was out there to win.?
Though the verdict is in Morgan says the final decision will be left up to Bud Selig, the MLB Commissioner. ?I can?t speak to whether Rose should become eligible for the Hall now that he?s acknowledged he bet on baseball. It?s up to Commissioner Bud Selig to make that decision. Has Rose met the qualifications that Selig put in front of him for reinstatement? That?s the question Selig must answer.?
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