Major League Baseball

MLB commissioner promises due diligence when it comes to Pete Rose

Published Mar. 17, 2015 4:14 p.m. ET

foxsports

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Rob Manfred has been on the job as commissioner of Major League Baseball officially for less than two months but when it comes to facing Cincinnati media for the first time there was no surprise what Topic Number One is.

Peter Edward Rose.

Specifically, the possible reinstatement of Rose to MLB.

Manfred visited the Reds spring training complex Tuesday morning, meeting with players and coaches as well as others in the organization. When it came time to speak with media members, Manfred reiterated what he said Monday when news broke that Rose had officially submitted to have his 1989 lifetime ban for gambling lifted: he plans on doing his due diligence reviewing the case and considering all aspects of it.

That includes studying the investigation and report by independent lawyer John Dowd which led to Commissioner Bart Giamatti and Rose agreeing to the lifetime ban.

"In terms of the process, what I've said is that I'll be in touch with Mr. Rose's representative and we'll decide what's necessary in terms of process from their perspective, what I think I need in order to get up to speed on the Dowd Report, what Commissioner Giamatti decided and obviously give Mr. Rose and his representative an opportunity to let me know what they think I need to understand about the situation," said Manfred. "Until I work through that, and I intend to work through that as a private matter, I'm not going to say anything about time table."

Rose, MLB's all-time leader in hits with 4,256 hits, applied for reinstatement in 1997 but then-commissioner Fay Vincent never ruled on that application. Rose met with Selig in 2002 but Selig also never ruled on Rose's case.

Manfred was MLB's Chief Operating Officer before being elected to succeed Selig last August.

Manfred said on Monday during a visit to the camp of the Los Angeles Dodgers in nearby Glendale that he would consider Rose's request "on its merits."

Rose has attended Reds games in the past but only on rare occasions has MLB granted permission for him to be a part of official game activities.

*He was part of MLB's All-Century team celebration at the 1999 All-Star Game.

*He was allowed to be honored at Great American Ball Park in 2010 on the 25th anniversary of his hit No. 4,192 that broke Ty Cobb's all-time record.

*MLB also granted the Reds permission to include Rose with the ceremony unveiling Joe Morgan's statue in front of GABP in 2013. The entire starting eight position players from the Reds' back-to-back World Series champions in 1975 and '76 were able to be in attendance that evening.

It has already been announced that Rose will be allowed to participate in this summer's All-Star Game festivities at GABP. To what extent his involvement will reach is still to be determined.

"I have a very nice relationship with (Reds president and CEO) Bob Castellini," said Manfred. "I think Bob and I will have a conversation about exactly what activities make sense in the overall context of the game. We have not had that conversation yet."

Manfred said the fact that the Reds are hosting this year's All-Star Game won't force him to come to a decision sooner or later than when he feels comfortable. He is adamant that he wants to be as thorough about his decision-making process as possible.

"When you have a request like this I think it's important and, in fact, incumbent on me to understand all that went on, what led commissioner Giamatti where he landed on the issue, what the agreement was that was reached and why that agreement was reached," said Manfred. "I need to really start from square one in terms of those facts."