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Posted By: Eric

Mike, like you, I don't condemn Pete Rose. Glen V brought up a good point in his original response to this link, about Fergie Jenkins. Glen only hit on the surface of what many major league ball players do to hurt the integrity of the game though, which morally and effectually incriminate baseball as a whole. Pete Rose made mistakes, many mistakes. The man bet on baseball, and lied about it. However, I also believe that Rose did absolutely NOTHING that deteriorated the game, and I'm convinced that so many other major leaguers have done far worse, with absolutely no incrimination or punishment from the league. Lets put this in terms of the common sense, I think everyone should ask themselves what actions and decisions are worse in life? Is betting and lying worse than: taking drugs and admitting it (in most cases multiple times), arrest on felony charges, spousal abuse, murder, driving under the influence, trafficing drugs, felony theft, rape, etc..?

So many people in society are quick to judge and lash out viciously without attaining all measureable evidence, and not considering like events that go unpunished. Pete is no saint. He broke the rules, and is enduring the punishment he deserves. But make no mistake about it, if MLB came down on all the offenses that without doubt, certainly outweigh Pete's, you'd have a lifetime banishment list with over 500 MLB players over history's past 100 years on it. And that's not an exageration.

Pete has suffered the consequences of his own stupidity. He made extremely poor decisions over the course of his life, but also gave an incredible vigor to the game. Don't let him manage, don't put him in the Hall, and make him pay for what he did. But don't sit high on the mount of judgement bashing him over and over, when so many others do far worse. To believe that Pete fractured baseball any more than so many others have..and STILL DO, is done with great hipocracy and ignorance.