In wake of the Houston Astros cheating scandal, Pete Rose asked MLB commissioner Rob Manfred to lift the ban facing him after the league decided not to punish any players involved in Houston’s sign-stealing controversy.
If reinstated, Rose would be eligible for the Hall of Fame.
Rose and his lawyers submitted a 19-page letter to the league that argues Manfred’s decision to punish the Astros’ players for sign-stealing should allow him to be part of the sport once again. In 1989, Rose was banned for life for betting on games.
Rose, who bet on teams while managing the Cincinnati Reds, has expressed regret for the incident.
In the letter obtained by USA Today and others, Rose’s lawyers argue “there cannot be one set of rules for Mr. Rose and another for everyone else.”
“No objective standard or categorization of the rules violations committed by Mr. Rose can distinguish his violations from those that have incurred substantially less severe penalties from Major League Baseball,” the letter read.
The MLB is reportedly reviewing the letter. Rose has also asked for a meeting with Manfred.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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