[bort]

Not sure of what your basis is for calling Rose a dirtbag. He was highly competitive and beloved by the fans and his teammates. If he played for Boston or NYY, he’d been in the HOF 35 years ago. Rose betting a handful of times on his own team to win did not impact one single game. Meanwhile, the steroids monsters and their cheating impacted every game.

[Right_Wing_Madman]

He was highly competitive and beloved by the fans and his teammates.

Pete Rose was a terrific baseball player, and probably the most hated player in baseball since Ty Cobb. And he was especially despised by his teammates. Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, and Dave Concepcion couldn't stand him: too much ego, too critical, too intense.

Rose betting a handful of times on his own team to win did not impact one single game.

Bart Giamatti's investigation into Pete Rose revealed that he bet for and against his own team at least 50 times when he managed the Reds in 1987-89. And each bet was a minimum of $10,000 (a lot more money back then).