He’s hoping that the higher forces will see logic and not treat him like a loser who threw games like Shoeless Joe Jackson and bet against his team. He’s hoping that someone would see that, although he deserved punishment, it wasn’t the same punishment as Shoeless Joe.
He understands the public is on his side. He is entitled to believe that his punishment is over. Of course, he would be honored to receive that distinction.
How was Pete Rose able to be honored on the field at the All-Star Game if he is banned from baseball?
Although MLB has prohibited him from working in baseball, they are unable to refute his existence. Leaving him out would have made them look foolish, even petty, as they were going to honor the four greatest Reds players of all time in Cincinnati, especially if the disgruntled fans had begun screaming his name.
Though, in my opinion, Rose has always been a true jerk, prohibiting him from attending that ceremony would have just damaged MLB’s reputation and increased support for him. While many Reds supporters would have been upset if he hadn’t been present, no one is complaining that he was.
