Rose reinstatement still 'under review': Selig

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig is in no rush to review Pete Rose's application for reinstatement.

Selig told reporters Tuesday that the application "is under review" — 12 years after it was filed.

Rose, the career hits leader, consented to a lifetime ban from baseball by former commissioner Bart Giamatti in 1989 after an investigation concluded he bet on the Cincinnati Reds while managing the team.

Rose signed a document refusing to admit guilt but with the understanding he could apply for reinstatement in one year.

Rose maintained he never bet on baseball, either as a player or manager, but later admitted betting on the Reds and applied for formal reinstatement in 1997.

"He did, as you know, accept voluntarily a lifetime suspension from Bart Giamatti," Selig said. "And there really isn't much more I can say about that.

"I did agree to review it. It is under review.

"We do spend some time discussing it. But it is not, I think, appropriate for me to say any more."

Rose hit .303 lifetime with 160 home runs, 1,314 runs batted in and 2,165 runs scored in 3,562 games over 24 MLB seasons with the Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos before retiring in 1986, at which time he continued to manage the Reds through 1988.

Nicknamed "Charlie Hustle," the three-time World Series winner was named the National League's rookie of the year in 1963 and the most valuable player in the World Series in 1975.

On Sept. 11, 1985, Rose eclipsed Ty Cobb's career record of 4,191 hits and remains baseball's all-time hits leader with 4,256.