Manfred: Reinstating Pete Rose, other banned players was 'overdue'

Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred explained his decision to reinstate Pete Rose and other deceased ex-players from baseball's permanently ineligible list.

In the specific case of Rose, who died in September, Manfred felt that reinstating him following his death was in line with the original deal baseball's hits king made with MLB in 1989.

"I would say three things," Manfred said Thursday during an appearance on "CBS Mornings." "No. 1: Our permanently ineligible list is effectively a ban on working in the game. Just as a matter of logic. There's no reason to have a person who has passed away still on that list. No. 2: Pete Rose is a part of the history of our game. Every other player, including 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson, has been considered by the Hall of Fame, and they've made a decision. I saw no reason to leave Pete Rose out there as one of one, no consideration.

"And then, last, I think what people don't realize is Pete Rose wasn't disciplined by (former) commissioner (Bart) Giamatti. He entered into a settlement agreement with the league. At the time they entered into that settlement, he went on the permanently ineligible list knowing that the rules allowed the Hall of Fame to consider him. Commissioner Giamatti went out, had a press conference the day of the settlement, and he was asked about the Hall of Fame, and he said this settlement should have nothing to do with the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame should consider Pete Rose under its existing rules. So, I see the decision as baseball living up to the deal that they originally made with Pete Rose."

Manfred acknowledged that the decision to restore the eligibility of Rose and others wasn't an easy one for him to make, even if he felt it was ultimately the right choice.

"Yeah, it's a difficult decision because people are passionate about issues like this," Manfred said. "When you come up the side of the business that I came up, living up to your agreements is a really important thing and this was overdue in my opinion."

Rose was placed on the permanently ineligible list in 1989 after he was found to have bet on baseball games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. The Hall of Fame, an independent entity that maintains a close relationship with MLB, chose to bar those on the ineligible list from appearing on its ballots two years later.

Manfred chose to restore the eligibility of Rose, Jackson, and several others who have long since died, earlier this month. He ruled that placement on the list ends after a player dies. The decision potentially opened the door for Rose to appear on a Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. The Hall said all players removed from the list may be considered for enshrinement in the future.

Rose's first year of eligibility for Cooperstown would've been in 1992, but he never officially appeared on a ballot. He received a smattering of write-in votes from 1992-94. By contrast, Jackson - one of eight players banned for life in 1921 for accepting money to fix the 1919 World Series - appeared on Hall of Fame ballots sporadically in the 1930s and 1940s, decades before the Hall changed its rules.

The earliest Rose, Jackson, and others can appear on a ballot will be in December 2027 as part of the Classic Baseball Era Committee ballot. At that time, a historical committee will create an eight-person ballot for consideration as part of the Class of 2028.

Rose collected an MLB-record 4,256 hits over 24 seasons with the Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos. The 1973 NL MVP remains the league's all-time leader in games played (3,562), plate appearances (15,890), and at-bats (14,053).