Major League Baseball's chief operating officer, Bob DuPuy, shot down a Baseball Prospectus report Tuesday that claimed Pete Rose already has signed an agreement to be reinstated in 2004, calling it "totally unfounded, totally unsubstantiated" and "journalistically irresponsible."

Baseball Prospectus, in a statement in response to DuPuy's denial, stood by its story, saying the report "was compiled using reliable sources. We believe that, in the end, our report will be found to be accurate."

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/story?id=1594520

Not sure what the status of Pitts, Mantle and Mays were......it's kind of foggy...this so-called Ineligible List.....we don't think even MLB can tell you who's on it and who on it is permanently ineligible

It all has to do with MLB anti-trust status back then and one that is holds to this day....the right to govern itself. That is exactly what Landis meant by his "Regardless of the verdict of juries" statement. It did not matter what the courts said....MLB was able to govern (police) itself for it's own good....and that is what Landis thought was for it's own good...even thought it was a tad harsh for the supposed crime Joe committed against the game.

Did the Hall of Fame make the rule that players on the ineligible list are also ineligible for the Hall of Fame?

Arent MLB and the HOF two separate entities one has no control over the other?

Was this rule made specifically to keep Rose out?

Would it be useful to appeal to the Board of Directors of the Hall of Fame to revise the current eligibility rules? It seems as if these rules are revised frequently anyway whenever one slips through to the hall. (Read: Bill Mazeroski belong and Joe doesn't?) I know they changed them recently to prevent Ted Williams from voting for every teammate. The Hall of Fame Board consists of some wonderful baseball people (and even Bud Selig) and they may be open to reason.

- Bob

It would be interesting to see how Joe fared when he was eligible (i.e. before the Rose Rule) The HOF didn't exist until 16 years after the 1920 decision. Does anyone know the last year that Joe was considered by the veterans committee?

Have a Happy Holiday everyone...