Rose working toward reinstatement

NEW YORK -- The baseball commissioner's top deputy met with Pete Rose and his business agent in Florida last month, part of negotiations that could lead to the reinstatement of the sport's career hits leader.

Bob DuPuy, baseball's president and chief operating officer, traveled to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to speak with Rose and his business agent, Warren Greene on Dec. 16.

Commissioner Bud Selig had met secretly with Rose in Milwaukee on Nov. 25.

DuPuy declined to comment on the status of negotiations, which became public Dec. 9.

"We've got a pending application. We're continuing to review that petition," DuPuy said Wednesday. "The commissioner has discussed it with Pete. Other than that, I don't have anything to say."

Newsday reported Wednesday that a friend of Rose, who was not identified, said the former player was prepared to admit he bet on baseball.

Baseball officials have said that for there to be an agreement, Rose must admit he bet on baseball, an accusation he has repeatedly denied.

"When there's a time and place for Pete to make a comment, he will. Pete's always been very cooperative, and will continue to be. For now, we still have no comment," Greene said.

Baseball officials say the next step is to schedule Selig's meeting with Hall of Famers. Rose is ineligible for the Hall of Fame as long as he is on the permanently banned list.

Selig originally planned to talk with them on Jan. 17 in Los Angeles, then called it off. He said last week he still intends to talk with them but has not set a date for a meeting, possibly before the start of spring training in mid-February.

Rose agreed to a lifetime ban from baseball in August 1989 following an investigation of his gambling.

John Dowd, who headed the inquiry of Rose's gambling for commissioner A. Bartlett Giamatti, wrote a report that detailed 412 baseball wagers between April 8 and July 5, 1987, including 52 on Cincinnati to win. Dowd cited evidence that included betting slips alleged to be in Rose's handwriting, and telephone and bank records.