Pete Rose

Pete Rose could hit and did for a long time, but is grossly overrated. He could get doubles, but rarely got 3B, HR, or RBIs. He batted .300 but OPS+ was still just 118. He was a great hitter, just not one of the very true legendary greats. He was really just a master of getting singles. As the great Mickey Mantle said, "If I spent my whole career hitting singles like Pete, I'd wear a dress."

Wrong again, Larry! His OBP was .375 , his BA .303 (that's .072 difference - BIG difference) That's because he walked 1,566 times in his career. And what poor fielding? He was a fine fielder. I didn't like the guy because he was a hypocrite (had no problem running over Ray Fosse in the 1970 All Star game, but whined like a little girl in 1979 when Gene Garber struck him out to end his 44 game hitting streak - "he pitched me like it was the 7th game of the world series"). And then there's the gambling. One of the biggest 'name' jerks to play the game, but a winner when he played. My rating is for his playing......I'd give him a 1 for his entire career.

As a baseball player I think he is one of the most overrated player in the history of the game. His poor fieldinging, baserunning and his lack of concern with taking a pitch that would result in a BB's illustraite his selfish play. I saw him get thrown out at third tring to extend doubles into triples when having a runner in scoring position was the goal. For a player with 4256 hit and a batting average of approx. 3.06 and obp of not much higher is all I need to say.

I would love to give him a 5, but he bet on his team. He should be remembered as the player he was and not the manager he wasn't.

EVERDAY HES HUSTLIN

I dont care about his managing days, and his gambling.  Look at his stats!!  Most hits ALL TIME!  Players in the 20's and 30's did much worse things and they got in.  His numbers don't lie.  Get him in the Hall.

How can one man lie so much? Pete Rose lied so much for so long, he makes Bill Clinton look like a saint! Still, Pete Rose is a likeable guy--We all wanted to believe him, didn't we?--and he's the all-time hits leader to boot. It's just unfortunate that he couldn't control his addiction because betting on baseball put him in a position to do great harm to the sport.

Should've just come clean 20 years ago, Pete.

as sleazy as they come, but I can't say I'm glad his gambling is what he'll be remembered for most. He played his heart out as a Red.

I don't care what he did eons ago...he as a great player and an ok manager...I say put the man in the HOF

He was scrappy and very, very durable, but I don't consider him one of the greatest to ever play the game.

This is a guy that wasn't blessed with tremendous talent or ability, but who simply willed himself to be a great ball player. He was obsessed with success, and it showed in every action on the field. During the early part of his career he was a productive hitter, with occasional power, and an adequate to above average fielder, depending on what position he played. He was a good, aggressive baserunner, and a catalyst (albeit one of many) on the great Reds teams of the 1970's. As he aged, his defensive skills declined markedly, to the point where he was an actual defensive liability. I've made comments elsewhere about whether he belongs in Cooperstown, and on his gambling, and I won't repeat them here. He was a good, productive ballplayer for much of his career, who stayed injury free and through various circumstances was able to extend his career long past the point he was making a contribution to his teams.

The fact that Pete Rose isn't in the hall of fame, is one of the biggest injustices in sports history. He is one of the best hitters of all time and a fantastic player all around. Hall of famers should be judged solely on their baseball ability, and nothing else. Even so what he did really wasn't even that bad, so the man bet on some baseball games, its not like he ever rigged any games, as a matter of fact he never even bet against his own team. They should let him and Roger Maris in the hall of fame.

pete rose is nowhere near the top echelon of all-time greats.  nor is he anywhere near being the best hitter.  people making these comments most likely did not actually watch baseball during that time period.  never in his career was he considered one of the top dogs. when we are talking about good hitters, we are talking about who the opposing pitchers feared.  we are talking about rooting for your team with an opposing player coming to bat, and you start shaking in your boots, wondering how much damage this guy at the plate is gonna do.  rose and carew would earn a few taps - that's it.  they were single slappers - not game destroyers. 2 things about a good hitter - does he have power and can he hit in the clutch.  i will only talk about players that i saw (60s and 70s).  the absolute best clutch hitter i have ever seen was willie mccovey.  he was much better than mays when you needed a hit.  and i dont think anyone ever hit the ball harder.  i mean the infield was on the grass and... Read more

No one will ever break his record....period

Great ballplayer, lousy human being. Docked one star for plowing into the catcher in a meaningless All-Star game and ruining a career.

One of the greats. Not letting him into the Hall is a travesty. He put his heart and soul into the game. Besides, he only bet as a manager (for his team to win, though i can see why we would doubt that) and wouldn't be put in the Hall as a manager anyway. His player reputation is very high quality. One of the 25 greatest players, he has been done a grave injustice.

Most Hits ever. Also most OUTS. Leaving aside the gambling, he was a clear HoFer and a very marginal all-time great. He was never the player that Frank Robinson was, to name one. That is a tough standard and Pete was a great player but Four, to me, is a very high rating. Giving Pete a Four would be a stretch, a Five would be a joke.

Again, another player about whom the statistics don't lie. All personal feelings aside, Rose has to be on any all-time hypothetical baseball team. In addition to all the hits, RBIs and fielding, he has multiple World Series titles on his resume. Having said that, he has rightfully been excluded from the Hall. Betting calls the entire integrity of the game into question.

This guy is the classic moron-jock who thought he was bigger than the game- but man, what a player. Was there ever a ballplayer who achieved more out of sheer will? (Cobb, perhaps) Rose was a winner on the field (even the hapless Phillies won a title with him) but a loser off the field.

Baseball history demands his rightful enshrinement in the HOF.

Petes home plate slide into Fosse in the 1970 All-Star Game exemplified both, his greatest asset, and his greatest flaw.....

A great baseball player, but lacking common sense in following rules and practical sense in an all-star game.

Maybe its become I'm too young (16) to understand the gravity of what Pete Rose did, but I dont really see why betting on baseball deserved such a harsh punishment. I think Steroid users are committing a worse crime than gambling. Pete Rose never cheated, steriods are cheating. HOWEVER, i dont think he should ever be allowed in the hall of fame because he was such an idiot and took wwwaaayy too much time to admit that he bet on baseball.

I am not a fan of base ball and it is probably partially due to the treatment of Pete Rose. If this guy is not put in the Hall of Fame before he dies it will go down as probably one of the biggest blunders of all time. I don't care what he did or did not do, you get into the Hall for what you did on the field and if any one deserves to be in the MLB hall of fame it is Pete Rose.

I don't care what he did off-field, on the field he had 4,256 hits. That they might even be considering keeping him out of the hall of fame is absolutely absurd.

loser & liar

Pete Edward Eose was born in Cincinnati on April 14, 1941. He played for the Cincinnati Reds from 1963 - 1978 and for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1979 - 1983. Rose played for the Montreal Expos for part of the 1984 season before returning to Cincinnati as player-manager. He ended his playing career after the 1986 season. Rose began his career as a second baseman, but later played the outfield, third base, and first base. In addition to his batting skills, Rose was noted for his aggressive style of play. Pete Rose was considered one of baseball's all-time leading hitters and most exciting players. He had 4,256 hits in his career - the highest total in Major League history. Rose broke the record of 4,191 hits set by Ty Cobb, whose career ended in 1928. Rose hit safely in 44 straight games in 1978, tying an all-time National League record set in 1897 by Wee Willie Keeler. Rose was the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1973 and the league batting champion in 1968, 1969, and 1973... Read more

So he's arrogant and sometimes acts like an idiot. He played baseball with a fire and abandon that you'll maybe never see again. I hated him because he beat the Cubs butts all the time, but I'm giving him 5-stars because he deserves to be recognized for all that he have to the game as a player.

I've never thought of Pete Rose as Great, just very good for a quarter-century.. like a better Rusty Staub.

Gambling man could hit

Obviously, he was a great player. But when his gambling became an issue, the issue seemed to be that if Hitler could play ball, he should be in the Hall of Fame too.

I thought we where rating him as a baseball player! If he did or didnt bet on baseball that is not imortant what kind of player he was on the field is he was a hell of a hitter and played with alot heart that is what this is based on. We put the best ball players in the Hall of Fame I would say he should be there regardless. So what if he did bet on baseball did he make his team lose on purpose I mean please. I love seeing those one stars you guys must have just started watching baseball god knows you havent been a fan of it for very long to be that stupid

Only needed 3000 more AB's to pass Cobb. Broke Rule 21 (D).

The higher rating takes into account Rose's ability as a baseball player notwithstanding the gambling controversy. He walked 1,566 times during his career, a very noteworthy accomplishment. However, I don't believe that he should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Being an athlete entails a lot of things: sportmanship and integrity being some of these. Look, as the manager of the Reds, he placed bets on ball games. He decided which players were fit and rested for a game. Additionally, the people who placed the bets for him knew from the onset that did this. No matter how you put it, there was a conflict of interest here. To top it off, he lied about his actions. This is a serious lapse of ethical judgement and should be treated likewise. Rose portrays himself as a victim, like everyone who can't fess up for their mistakes in life. He knew exactly what he was doing and it shows through his lack of character. This isn't the equivalent of Rose cheating on his wife; the controversy concerns... Read more

Chump change from 62 to the 80s. He's over-hyped by Pete Rose and the media.

HE IS mR. BASEBALL. I WOULD TAKE NINE OF HIM ON MY TEAM. THE ONLY ONE BETTER IS ROBERTO CLEMENTE

Pete Embolyis Baseball and should Be in the HOF!

Deserves in the HOF over anybody.

A player who played each play as if it were his last.But he is no Ty Cobb,not even close look at the numbers.

A fantastic baseball player, probably one of the five best of all time. He does NOT belong in the Hall of Fame however. Gambling on your own team within the confines of organized sports is the WORST thing anyone in control of those games could ever do. Forget John Rocker, forget Dennis rodman, forget Artest, LT, Cobb, Strawberry, Gooden, Bob Knight, or anyone else who acts like a jerk or does drugs, etc. Those things are ugly, but don't ruin the fabric of the games. GAMBLING DOES.

One of the greatest players of all time and should undoubtedly be in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is for great players, NOT perfect, moral angels. I'm sure not all the players in the Hall of Fame were the most honorable, noble people, but they're there because they were great players....almost as great as Pete Rose.

Great player, a disgrace to the game.

I hate Pete Rose, the dude needs to get a haircut. If he ever gets into the Hall of Fame, they should rename it the Hall of Shame.

Played the game the way EVERY player should. Hall of Fame should DEMAND his induction.

Should he be in the Hall Of Fame? Of course he should. His achievements far outweigh the questionable judgment he showed when gambling on the games. When you think of other sports, and who is in those Halls of Fame, gambling doesn't seem so bad. O.J. Simpson (need I say more?), in tennis you have several gay people, etc. Who cares if he gambled? That's not nearly as offensive to me as the other stuff I just named. The point is, what they do off the field is completely different than what they do on it. Now, I have never been a big fan of Pete Rose. But give him what he deserves and put him in the Hall of Fame.

Pete Rose lives and breaths baseball. Nobody has ever played the game as hard as Charlie Hustle. I still cringe when I see the footage of him running over the catcher in that All-Star game. I will admit that he had limited physical skills. He was not as gifted as some players that never accomplished nearly as much as he did in his career. He did it with heart, hard work, and determination and that is something that is missing in a lot of the millionaire players that are playing today. Now about the Hall of Fame. The last time I went to the Football Hall of Fame I saw the bust of OJ Simpson. What Pete Rose did doesn't seem nearly that bad.

What is this fascination with Pete Rose? Yes, a great hitter. Now, let's move on...was he a great fielder? No. Great arm? No. Great speed? No. Great hustle? Yes. Sorry; two out of five greats is not good enough to be in the Hall of Fame. Sorry, Charlie Hustle.

Pete Rose is one of the best players all time. He has more career hits than anyone to ever play. He has paid his dues to society and deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Pete removed himself from the list of baseball greats by gambling on baseball while he was still active. He doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame not because he wasn't a great player but because he disgraced himself and the game.