Where have you gone, Pete Rose?

Pete Rose set many records during his time as a major league baseball player. Rose is baseball’s hit leader. Rose was banned from baseball for life, at least any part of baseball under the control or influence of American Major League Baseball (Inc., Corp., LLC or any other business abbreviation).

Rose bet on major league baseball games when he was a player, as a player-manager and when he was a manager. Betting on baseball games is anathema to MLB. Betting will not be countenanced. Anyone associated with MLB and who places wagers on games will be banned, as per the 1919 Chicago Black Sox and Pete Rose. Major League Baseball must maintain the highest standards of integrity.

Except when there are two sets of rules – one set for MLB and another for everyone else.

MLB encourages gambling. MLB advertises a gambling site. MLB pushes gambling at its fans. MLB has an official bettor on baseball.

DraftKings is the official gambling, wagering, betting site of Major League Baseball. DraftKings advertises on MLB Network. DraftKings sponsors MLB Network programs. DraftKings pays for a portion of Major League Baseball operations.

Had DraftKings and MLB been in its incestuous relationship 40 years ago, Pete Rose would today be in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and not treated like a low-caste pariah.

The low point of MLB/DraftKings can be seen nightly in streamers on the MLB Network site, crawling letters across the bottom of the screen announcing that anyone with a gambling addiction or gambling problem need only call the number listed for help.

Except, Pete Rose needn’t call. MLB put him against the wall decades ago.

Rose knew the rules, but he must have decided he would not get caught, or maybe he decided rules did not apply to him. He was, after all, Pete Rose.