Pete Rose remains on the outside looking in on the baseball Hall of Fame due to his betting on the game as a player and a manager despite his 4,256 hits being the most all-time in the game. The hit king believes that users of performance enhancing drugs have ruined the sport more than anything that he ever did.
While "Charlie Hustle" believes that what he did was wrong, he also thinks that PEDs have sullied the game.
"They're both bad. I think in my case, I know I didn't do anything to alter the statistics of baseball," Rose said on ESPN Radio. "As you know, baseball statistics are sacred. That's why baseball cards are worth more than football cards, why that Honus Wagner card is going for a couple million bucks, why baseball memorabilia is much more valuable than football or basketball memorabilia."
Rose reiterated the fact that he did nothing to alter his statistics and brought up the fact that some PED users have broken records of guys that weren't believed to be on anything that enhanced their performance.
"I had nothing to do with altering statistics of baseball," he said per ESPN, "and these guys, that take PEDs -- wouldn't it be nice if you could ask Babe Ruth the same question, or Roger Maris the same question or Hank Aaron, who won't talk about it. I'd like to hear what their response will be because those are the guys who lost their records because of supposedly steroids."
New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez was the main name attached to the latest scandal to shake up the baseball world when he was suspended for 211 games last August for his connection to the now-defunct Florida-based Biogenesis clinic that was accused of dealing PEDs to 14 players.
A-Rod, who admitted in 2009 that he took steroids in the past starting in 2001, but denied his connection to Biogenesis, eventually had his ban reduced to the entire 2014 season and the playoffs and accepted the ban.
ESPN reports that Rose has texted Rodriguez since he opted to drop his lawsuit with Major League Baseball and the Player's Association. Rose was glad that Rodriguez accepted the suspension and opted to not show up to spring training.
"Alex, sit out your year and keep yourself ready," Rose said via ESPN. "I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he doesn't come back and be a productive player. He loves the game, he loves the tradition of the game, he made a mistake like the rest of us did."
Rose also said he was looking forward to seeing how A-Rod will act this offseason as he sits out of baseball.
"It's going to be interesting to see how Alex handles the offseason," Rose told ESPN Radio. "I don't want to hear he's going to play for the [Long Island] Ducks or some independent league team. He doesn't need to do any of that kind of stuff because then you're creating a circus type of atmosphere."
Rose appeared in 3,562 games over his career with the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos over 24 years and hit .303 with 160 homers, 1,314 RBIs and his legendary 4,256 hits, but he may never get into Cooperstown.
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