MLBPA executive director Tony Clark wants Pete Rose reinstated

Tony Clark, head of the Major League Baseball Players Association, believes Pete Rose should be reinstated, according to ESPN’s Jayson Stark. 

Rose’s representatives formally submitted a request for reinstatement with new commissioner Rob Manfred recently, and Manfred has said he would consider that request. Clark, who has been the union chief since December 2013, would be in favor of Rose returning to the game. 

“I would love to see Pete reinstated,” Clark said, after meeting with players for the Detroit Tigers during his annual tour of spring training.

Asked to explain his reasoning, Clark said of Rose: “He made a decision. He made a decision that was not the right decision. He made a decision that he has paid a price for.”

Clark went on to add that Rose has served his time, and believes Manfred should consider that when making his decision. He also called Rose a member of the “fraternity.” While the MLBPA has no influence on whether Rose gets back into the game, Clark said it’s a situation they “obviously pay attention to.” 

 It’s somewhat surprising that Clark would come out with such a definitive stance on Rose. Whether or not you believe he should be back in the game, Rose did break a very clearly defined rule. In fact, Rule 21-D, which says betting on a game will lead to a player being declared “permanently ineligible,” has been posted in major league clubhouses for a number of years. 

For Clark, the fact that Rose served his time trumps the rule he broke so many years ago. It’s a stance many Rose supporters have taken. While these comments probably won’t factor into Manfred’s decision, Rose probably feels better having the head of the Players Association in his corner. 

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik