Rob Manfred Responds to Pete Rose’s Latest Hall of Fame Plea

The former Reds infielder wrote an apology to the commisioner last week.

Pete Rose’s latest attempt to get reinstated by MLB includes a letter that he wrote to commissioner Rob Manfred pleading to have his Hall of Fame eligibility reinstated.

“I am writing today for three reasons,” Rose wrote to Manfred, via TMZ. “First, because at my age I want to be 100% sure that you understand how much I mean it when I say that I’m sorry. Second, to ask for your forgiveness. And third, because I still think every day about what it would mean to be considered for the Hall of Fame.”

A week later, Manfred responded to Rose’s plea, explaining that Rose will remain banned from the league. However, the commissioner leaves the subject of the Hall of Fame up to Cooperstown.

“I believe that when you bet on baseball from Major League Baseball’s perspective, you belong on the permanently ineligible list,” Manfred said, via The Athletic’s Evan Drellich.

“When I dealt with the issue the last time he applied for reinstatement, I made clear that I didn’t think the function of that baseball list was the same as the eligibility criteria for the Hall of Fame. That remains my position. I think it’s a conversation that really belong on the Hall of Fame board. I’m on that board, it’s just not appropriate for me to get in front [of those talks].”

Rose was suspended indefinitely in 1989 for betting on games while he played for and managed the Reds in the mid 1980s. As a result, MLB’s all-time hits leader has never been on the ballot for Cooperstown.