Did Pete Rose bet on games when he was a player? He’s not saying

If Cincinnati Reds legend Pete Rose bet on baseball games while he was still a player, he’s not going to admit it any time soon.

Rose was interviewed for the first time since an ESPN report surfaced alleging he gambled on games while he was still an active player. During that interview, Rose told Fox Sports 1’s Chris Myers that he would not comment on anything pertaining to his case for reinstatement.

According to Ron Clements of Sporting News, Rose said he will be completely honest when he meets with commissioner Rob Manfred to discuss the case.

“I’m going to keep my end of the bargain,” said Rose, who was hired by Fox Sports 1 in April as a baseball analyst. “I’m sure those questions will come about when I meet with the commissioner.

“I’ll be as honest as I can be with the commissioner. … I’ll admit my whole past to him.”

Rose applied for reinstatement shortly after Manfred was elected commissioner. Manfred said he would seriously consider the request.

(AP Photo)

Between that and Rose’s involvement in the upcoming All-Star Game, things appeared to be looking up for the hit king. The ESPN report has shed some doubt on his credibility, however.

While Rose has admitted to gambling on baseball in the past, he’s adamantly denied doing so while he was still an active player. If Rose lied during his admission, that could further hurt his credibility, swaying Manfred’s opinion.

In the end, Manfred’s opinion is the only one that matters, so it makes sense for Rose to remain quiet about the latest report. If he’s guilty of gambling while still playing, there’s no reason to draw more attention to himself now. If he denies the report, those who believe he should be barred from the game won’t change their opinion.

[Check out Big League Stew on Tumblr for even more baseball awesomeness.]

Rose still has a long way to go before reinstatement, and it’s beginning to look like it will be an uphill climb. For now, at least, he’s doing the smart thing by avoiding any questions about his situation.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports: