Pete Rose met with commissioner Bud Selig in Milwaukee two weeks ago to discuss the career hits leader's possible reinstatement to baseball, according to news reports. Nothing was agreed to during the meeting, including whether or not Rose would be reinstated, which would make him eligible for induction to the Hall of Fame, ESPN.com quoted unidentified sources as saying.
Since the meeting, there have been subsequent conversations between representatives of Selig and Rose, and proposals have been exchanged, ESPN.com reported.
WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, also quoting unidentified sources, reported that Rose and former teammate Mike Schmidt met with Selig.
Rose told the TV station through an unidentified friend that he would have no comment.
Rose agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball in August 1989 following an investigation into his gambling. He applied for reinstatement in September 1997, but Selig has refused to rule on it, saying he hasn't seen any evidence that would make him alter the ban for the 17-time All-Star and 1973 NL MVP.
Selig spokesman Rich Levin said Rose and Selig have not met since a brief conversation before Game 4 of the World Series in San Francisco. Rose, invited to appear for a baseball promotion about the game's memorable moments, got the longest ovation of any other player on the field.
``There have been a number of stories reporting alleged conversations or meetings between commissioner Selig and Pete Rose," Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said Tuesday in a statement. ``Pete Rose applied for reinstatement to commissioner Selig several years ago that application has been pending since that time. Given the pendency of the application for reinstatement, neither the commissioner or anyone in our office will comment on the Pete Rose matter further."
Messages left by The Associated Press for Rose's agent and lawyer were not returned.
