River Rat - Compromised

"I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t the happiest guy in the world tonight." - Pete Rose

As I sit here reflecting on Pete Rose’s chase for Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record, I know that what I’m about to say isn’t going to be a popular opinion—especially among hardcore Rose fans. I can feel the knot in my stomach just thinking about it, because I grew up admiring Pete Rose. He was the embodiment of hustle, a guy who played the game with such passion and grit. But like I’ve said before, Rose is an enigma, and the more I think about his role during that historic pursuit, the more conflicted I feel.

At the time, I thought the chase for Cobb's record was fantastic for baseball. It brought excitement, not just to the game, but to Cincinnati, and I was right there with everyone else, caught up in the thrill of watching him inch closer to that milestone. It was good for the sport, no doubt about that. I mean, ownership brought Rose back to the Reds in 1984 to ignite the fan base, and it worked. He was Cincinnati’s hometown hero, and having him back as a player-manager was a brilliant move to bring energy to the team and get people excited about the Reds again.