Why Trump’s Pardon of Pete Rose is Happening Now

Last month, Donald Trump declared that he would soon be considering a pardon for Pete Rose. We should have learned by now to be wary of anything Trump posts on social media. His current vice-president and secretary of state were both eviscerated by social media rants in the past.

But it appears this time, Trump plans to go through with what he’s saying. All-time hits leader Pete Rose will likely soon be given a pardon by the U.S. President for his felonies related to tax evasion in 1990.

Once that happens, don’t be surprised if another announcement is made regarding Rose, who died last September at the age of 83.

If there’s anything that Trump likes more than money it’s headlines. A White House event announcing a Rose pardon would be news, but even more than that, the president would love to be able to pair his decision with an announcement from Major League Baseball that Rose was being removed from the permanently ineligible list. If that happens, Rose would immediately be eligible for consideration for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Most people don’t care whether Pete Rose is reinstated to MLB. But there are some fans, especially in Cincinnati and Philadelphia, where Rose helped his teams win a combined three World Series titles, who care deeply. For Trump, this is an excellent chance to appear as if he is a man of the people, fixing a problem and righting a wrong against a folk hero.

That doesn’t explain why MLB would want to reinstate Rose at this time.

Why Baseball Commissioner Manfred Wants to Reinstate Rose

It’s been reported by the Associated Press that Rose’s daughter and his widow met with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred last December to discuss reinstatement for Pete. This marks the latest chapter in a saga that spread across more than three decades.

Rose accepted a lifetime ban in 1989 after MLB alleged that he had bet on baseball, including games he was managing for the Reds. At the time, Rose was convinced his punishment would be for one year, and that after he was eligible to petition for reinstatement he would be granted entry back into the game. The commissioner that meted out the punishment, Bart Giamatti, died only weeks after the Rose decision. His death muddied the situation, and Rose was never reinstated by the procession of commissioners that followed.

Now that Rose is hitting line drives in the great Ballpark in the Sky, MLB doesn’t risk embarrassment from the outspoken former batting champion. The specter of Rose being employed by the Reds in some official capacity as an ambassador or in the front office, would have been cringe to many MLB owners.

The Hall of Fame doesn’t want Pete Rose as a member. The Hall specifically codified its rules in 1991 to clarify that anyone on MLB’s ineligible list could not be considered for election. The move was designed to avoid the uncomfortable possibility that Rose would be on stage accepting a plaque while the gambling scandal hung over his head. There were several Hall of Fame members who opposed Rose’s election, as well. Some of those men reportedly threatened a boycott of the Cooperstown museum if Rose was inducted.

I suspect the leadership of the Hall of Fame would prefer Rose not be inducted posthumously. The election cycle and induction weekend would be swallowed up by the controversy, something the Hall of Fame wouldn’t want to deal with. Such a sideshow would undoubtedly overshadow whomever else was elected to the Hall that same year.

So why now, Mr. Manfred? Well, because baseball could use some publicity. It’s not that the game is struggling: revenues are at an all-time high. But, given the hyper-competitive nature of sports, any news would help steal headlines from the NFL. If Rose were reinstated, the story would dominate sports talk for a week, at least. It would placate the fanbase in Cincinnati. It would place the term “MLB” in oodles of articles with the words “fair” and “forgiving.” Even man y of Rose’s longtime detractors may find it difficult to say something bad about a dead man.

What Would a Pardon Mean for Rose’s Hall of Fame Chances?

Being removed from MLB’s ineligible list would not necessarily place Rose’s name onto a Hall of Fame ballot. Rules allow the Baseball Writers Association of America to construct a ballot of eligible players. Obviously, Rose’s accomplishments (a record 4,256 hits, three batting titles, etc.) are worthy of his name being on a ballot.

But, Hall of Fame rules as they are currently constructed prohibit Rose from being placed on the BBWAA ballot now. That’s because the rule states that a candidate must “have been active as a player in the Major Leagues at some time during a period beginning fifteen (15) years before and ending five (5) years prior to election.

Rose last played in 1986, which means his eligibility for a BBWAA ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame has since long expired. Since his gambling scandal was exposed, the Hall has tweaked its special “veterans committee” election format several times. Currently, three committees convene in a rotation basis, each assigned to consider candidates from specific eras. The so-called “Eras committee” that would likely ponder Rose’s candidacy wouldn’t meet again until 2027. To be elected by that 16-person committee, a candidate like Rose would need at least 12 votes. That’s assuming his name was placed on a ballot. That process has typically been handled by a select group of historians, former sportswriters, Hall of Fame members, and officials of the Hall of Fame.

There’s no question the All-Time Hit King would get lots of support from the fans and probably receive some support from some members of the 16-person Eras Committee. His recent death would likely work in his favor. Sentimentality is a powerful force.

Most of the Hall of Famers who adamantly opposed Pete’s election are gone now. Bob Feller, Hank Aaron, and Frank Robinson have passed on. Even Johnny Bench, Rose’s former teammate and critic, has mellowed on “Charlie Hustle.” Following Pete’s death, Rose lamented the fact that Pete failed to reform while he was alive, missing a chance to receive an honor in Cooperstown while he was alive.

Many fans will find it appropriate for Pete Rose’s “lifetime” ban to lifted after his death. His supporters will complain that Rose was denied a chance to be honored in his lifetime. But, at least for his daughter and wife, an election ceremony in Cooperstown could serve as a final farewell to the man.

The White House said last week that a Rose pardon “is coming soon.” I suspect that indicates the Trump administration would like MLB to time its decision to coincide with a “full cleansing” of Rose. Of course, it won’t be a cleansing: Rose wasn’t banned from MLB because of his tax problems. But, if a pardon gets the process moving to put Rose’s name on a ballot, that’s better for baseball. Let the voters decide. That’s something maybe even Trump can agree with.