[JollyElm]

I imagine if Charlie Hustle gets in, his card values will skyrocket. Think of where he stands today in that weird gray area. When people post cards for sale, for instance, usually it'll be under a banner of "I Got These HOF'ers For Sale." There's a prominence attached to these guys and the card prices reflect it. But right now Pete Rose is like the crazy uncle you keep up in the attic. Who knows what to do with that guy? But if he suddenly becomes legitimate by being added to the prestigious roll of HOF'ers, I don't think there's any doubt his card prices would go through the roof. Could be for the long term or could be just a short term thing, but just imagine the price of his 1963 rookie card if the word "HOF" was now attached to it. He would be on a whole new level.

This theory doesn't apply to everyone, mind you. I can point to other players like Ron Santo and Bill Mazeroski who eventually got into the Hall and (anecdotally) didn't see any significant bumps in their card values, but Pete Rose is a different story. If you only consider his play on the field (and ignore the gambling entirely), he woulda/shoulda been a first ballot Hall of Famer. It's silly to even argue that fact. Those other guys don't fall into that category. "Pete Rose, Hall of Famer," would lend a newfound legitimacy to his cards…and there's little doubt the prices would follow.