Warning: this is not a comedy post. It contains nothing funny, so, in a lot of ways, it's just like my act. Rim shot! Thank you! I'm here all week, try the veal.
Pete Rose has been out of baseball for 25 years, serving out his life time ban for betting on the team he managed to win.
Commissioner Bud Selig is retiring in January, 2015 and has basically shelved Pete Rose's reinstatement appeals, all but refusing to address the issue.
Recently, Selig said he has five months to deliberate on the issue, but says he has to do what he feels is best for the game and sometimes you have to live with people not liking your decisions.
So, Commissioner, how is keeping perhaps the best ambassador baseball has out of the game, while hundreds of players used (and many still use) PED's only to be suspended for a certain amount of games, what's best for the game?
Heck, ARod is so guilty he got multiple suspensions wrapped into one sentence and still only missed a little more than a year.
Whether or not one understands the reason behind it, players who take PED's are knowingly cheating.
Where's the integrity of that?
Commissioner, you stated your office was created specifically to deal with the Black Sox scandal of 1919, which, of course, dealt with gambling.
One thing, however, sir: the Black Sox were paid to THROW their games. The intentionally did bad so they would lose.
Side bar: Shoeless Joe Jackson did NOT throw games and should be reinstated, as well.
Pete Rose is guilty of betting on the team he managed, TO WIN.
Yes, betting is betting, but it's been 25 years. Let him in. The all-time hit leader deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Rather, it's a black eye to baseball that the Hit King ISN'T in the Hall of Fame.
By the way, I know there is a difference between reinstatement and election into the Hall of Fame, but one would most certainly beget the other at some point.
Commissioner, we all know your disdain for Home Run leader Barry Bonds. Yet, even though he was indicted for perjury, indicted and convicted of Obstruction of Justice and has been the central focus of the Balco investigation since 2003, you turned a blind eye to Bonds, letting the chips fall where they may, so to speak.
I just don't think you can use words and terms like "integrity" and "best interests of baseball" if you have different levels of cheating when it comes to knowingly taking PED's to get an edge and gambling.
Pine tar, spit balls, etc. are all to get an edge on that particular game and should we dealt with as such. PED's are for a season or career. Much different.
But let's talk gambling, if you would.
Around the time of the Black Sox, America was different. Baseball was different. There were no computers and no multi-million dollar contracts.
Gambling was looked on as a tool of the Devil, and only bad people were associated with it. Today, America has two major gambling cities, one of which has LEGAL sports betting.
Back in 1919, $10,000 went a long way, and made a huge difference in a player's life. Today, in order to get just ONE player to even consider throwing a game, you'd have to come at them with tens of millions of dollars.
Owners were cheap and had a strong hold on players. There was no free agency and the MLPA didn't even exist until 1953. The previous incarnations of a players union obviously weren't very strong.
Even twenty five years ago, one would still had to have offered at least a few million dollars per player, if players would even entertain the idea.
In 1919, the criminal element moved freely throughout baseball and other sports. It was easier to get in touch with players, make deals, etc. Twenty five years ago, and certainly today, its much harder to keep company with a bad element without getting found out.
I'm not so naive to think that some players aren't associating with "bad seeds" today, but it's so much easier to bet sports legally or online, that it really doesn't matter anyway.
But, again, we're still talking apples and oranges, or at least different types of apples. Pete Rose gambled on the team he managed, TO WIN. The Black Sox THREW the World Series for money.
Clearly, those are completely different items.
So, now, at least once a year, Pete Rose gets all of our attention, and people wonder why he isn't in baseball or the Hall of Fame.
You've actually created this issue, Commissioner. Okay, maybe you didn't create it, but you keep it going.
If you reinstated Pete Rose, it would be a HUGE positive publicity event for Major League Baseball. Think of the ratings and ticket sales when you parade the Hit King around to every major ball park for a Welcome Back to Baseball Tour.
If you think that's too much, because you just don't like Rose, then let him in, let the publicity die down and then he either does or doesn't get into the Hall of Fame.
Then, guess what, he goes away.
You see, if you let him into baseball everything stops. If he's hired as a coach or manager, so be it, now he's just a part of baseball. If he's not, then so be that, too. If he's elected into the Hall of Fame, then he gives his speech and everyone goes home. If he's not elected, well, then so be it, at least he was given his shot. It's not on you, or baseball.
Either way, the issue is dead and no one can complain, no one puts Rose on TV, it's over.
This is a win-win for baseball, Commissioner. The public gets their Hit King back, you get to leave a great legacy behind and baseball gets to move forward instead of being constantly reminded of the worst of it's past.
Please reinstate Pete Rose in the best interest of baseball.
Sincerely,
Scott Friedman
Linwood, NJ
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