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CNN Saturday Morning News

Major League Baseball Looking at Lifting Pete Rose Ban

Aired December 14, 2002 - 07:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CHARLES MOLINEAUX: Well, baseball executives are in Nashville this weekend for their annual winter policy meeting. Among likely issues on the table, the possible reinstatement of Charlie Hustle.
Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life in 1989 for gambling.

Joining us from Nashville to talk more about the controversial issue is CNN Sports correspondent Josie Karp. Josie, thanks for being with us.

We have heard comments from Pete that might give some indication that there is talk going on, more than we've heard in the past, that he could be, what, coming back?

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, sometime in the future, but not necessarily the near future, Charles. You know, if you talk to baseball people, they say that this has really been going on, these negotiations to get Pete Rose reinstated, for about a year and a half.

And here at the winter meetings, which are kind of like a convention for the baseball world, they are talking about a lot of things, and they are certainly talking Pete Rose and the idea that was revealed this week that Commissioner Bud Selig is considering lifting that lifetime ban.

But Pete Rose, in his only real public statement this week, issued a written statement where he said that this is a delicate process. And it really is a process of negotiations, almost like a contract, back and forth. Each side is presenting proposals trying to figure out exactly what would have to happen in order for Rose to be reinstated.

And among the issues they're talking about, would there be any sort of probationary period before he was reinstated? Would it be an unconditional reinstatement, where he could just come back and at some point actually manage a team? And also, how would Pete Rose address those gambling allegations? Would he admit that he bet on baseball? And that is the single issue that here at the winter meetings is inspiring the most debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY LASORDA, LOS ANGELES DODGERS: If he admits that he bet on baseball, then he's going to prove himself a liar over all those years. So I don't know what he's going to do. But whatever happens, you know, I hope he gets satisfied out of the thing. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: Among the people that we talked to, there seemed to be a real mixed reaction to the idea of Pete Rose coming back and being fully reinstated. That is, having the ability to come and manage a team if he wanted to.

But on the issue of the Hall of Fame, which sort of goes part and parcel with a reinstatement, we talked to a lot of writers. They're the ones who vote on who gets in the Hall of Fame. And although it wasn't unanimous, the consensus seemed to be that Pete Rose does belong in the Hall of Fame.

And there had been a report this week that some Hall of Fame members would actually come to New York and talk to some baseball lawyers about that possibility this week in terms of former players coming. That's actually not the case. Our sources here at the baseball meeting say if there's any meeting to take place this week, it's going to be between baseball executives and Hall of Fame executives, Charles, to kind of work through what the possibilities are in terms of baseball and the Hall of Fame getting together on the same page.

Back to you.

MOLINEAUX: It's been more than a decade. What has changed? Why is this coming up now? Do people feel like Charlie Hustle's suffered enough?

KARP: Well, that's a good question. I think there's a group of people who feel like he has paid a great price. Baseball was clearly his life, and it was taken away from him. There are some people who think that it's just the passage of time. There are others, maybe in a more cynical group, who look at Bud Selig and see how he's been maligned over the past couple of years, particularly with this year at the all-star game, he was booed, there was the catastrophe with the tie.

He was present there for game four of the World Series when Pete Rose was allowed to come on the field as part of a promotion, and was so loudly cheered, and there were the chance of Hall of Fame. So maybe this is something for Bud Selig in addition to Pete Rose to kind of get in the good graces.

And then there's the feeling that baseball is a game that is for its fans. And if the fans really want Pete Rose back, then maybe this is something that has to be done, Charles.

MOLINEAUX: OK, thank you very much, Josie Karp. Good to have you with us this morning.

KARP: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired December 14, 2002 - 07:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHARLES MOLINEAUX: Well, baseball executives are in Nashville this weekend for their annual winter policy meeting. Among likely issues on the table, the possible reinstatement of Charlie Hustle.
Pete Rose was banned from baseball for life in 1989 for gambling.

Joining us from Nashville to talk more about the controversial issue is CNN Sports correspondent Josie Karp. Josie, thanks for being with us.

We have heard comments from Pete that might give some indication that there is talk going on, more than we've heard in the past, that he could be, what, coming back?

JOSIE KARP, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, sometime in the future, but not necessarily the near future, Charles. You know, if you talk to baseball people, they say that this has really been going on, these negotiations to get Pete Rose reinstated, for about a year and a half.

And here at the winter meetings, which are kind of like a convention for the baseball world, they are talking about a lot of things, and they are certainly talking Pete Rose and the idea that was revealed this week that Commissioner Bud Selig is considering lifting that lifetime ban.

But Pete Rose, in his only real public statement this week, issued a written statement where he said that this is a delicate process. And it really is a process of negotiations, almost like a contract, back and forth. Each side is presenting proposals trying to figure out exactly what would have to happen in order for Rose to be reinstated.

And among the issues they're talking about, would there be any sort of probationary period before he was reinstated? Would it be an unconditional reinstatement, where he could just come back and at some point actually manage a team? And also, how would Pete Rose address those gambling allegations? Would he admit that he bet on baseball? And that is the single issue that here at the winter meetings is inspiring the most debate.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOMMY LASORDA, LOS ANGELES DODGERS: If he admits that he bet on baseball, then he's going to prove himself a liar over all those years. So I don't know what he's going to do. But whatever happens, you know, I hope he gets satisfied out of the thing. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KARP: Among the people that we talked to, there seemed to be a real mixed reaction to the idea of Pete Rose coming back and being fully reinstated. That is, having the ability to come and manage a team if he wanted to.

But on the issue of the Hall of Fame, which sort of goes part and parcel with a reinstatement, we talked to a lot of writers. They're the ones who vote on who gets in the Hall of Fame. And although it wasn't unanimous, the consensus seemed to be that Pete Rose does belong in the Hall of Fame.

And there had been a report this week that some Hall of Fame members would actually come to New York and talk to some baseball lawyers about that possibility this week in terms of former players coming. That's actually not the case. Our sources here at the baseball meeting say if there's any meeting to take place this week, it's going to be between baseball executives and Hall of Fame executives, Charles, to kind of work through what the possibilities are in terms of baseball and the Hall of Fame getting together on the same page.

Back to you.

MOLINEAUX: It's been more than a decade. What has changed? Why is this coming up now? Do people feel like Charlie Hustle's suffered enough?

KARP: Well, that's a good question. I think there's a group of people who feel like he has paid a great price. Baseball was clearly his life, and it was taken away from him. There are some people who think that it's just the passage of time. There are others, maybe in a more cynical group, who look at Bud Selig and see how he's been maligned over the past couple of years, particularly with this year at the all-star game, he was booed, there was the catastrophe with the tie.

He was present there for game four of the World Series when Pete Rose was allowed to come on the field as part of a promotion, and was so loudly cheered, and there were the chance of Hall of Fame. So maybe this is something for Bud Selig in addition to Pete Rose to kind of get in the good graces.

And then there's the feeling that baseball is a game that is for its fans. And if the fans really want Pete Rose back, then maybe this is something that has to be done, Charles.

MOLINEAUX: OK, thank you very much, Josie Karp. Good to have you with us this morning.

KARP: Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com