Terry Francona's response to Pete Rose news will have Reds fans nodding in agreement

There's been a lot of chatter over the past few days regarding Pete Rose's posthumous Hall of Fame candidacy. President Donald Trump weighed in on the matter a few days ago, saying that he plans to sign a full pardon of Rose.

It's also being reported that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is considering removing Rose's name from the ineligible list; something that is one of many factors keeping "The Hit King" from being inducted in the Hall of Fame.

Rose is a very polarizing figure, but whether you love him or you hate him, most everyone can agree that his on-field résumé is Hall of Fame worthy. Rose was a 17-time All-Star, three-time batting champion, former NL MVP, and two-time World Series champion. Rose passed away last fall having never been enshrined in Cooperstown.

Terry Francona's response to Pete Rose news will have Reds fans nodding in agreement

New Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona and Rose were teammates while playing for the Montreal Expos in 1984. Rose was then Francona's manager when the current Reds skipper played for Cincinnati in 1987. Francona shared his thoughts on the recent news surrounding Rose's possible posthumous reinstatement from MLB's ineligible list, and what it would mean to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“His mistakes are well documented,” Francona said. “I don’t have enough information (to comment specifically). I wish if that was happening, he was alive. It would have been more meaningful.” Francona's words are an echo of how most Reds fans probably feel. While Rose's supporters would love to see him inducted into the Hall of Fame, it would have a hollow ring to it after his passing.

Though it took him quite some time, Rose finally admitted to betting on baseball (which ultimately led to his lifetime ban), but his on-field accomplishments are still part of baseball history, and the large majority of fans want to see those achievements celebrated.

There are several hurdles remaining before Rose can even be considered for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and even if those obstacles are cleared, he would not be eligible to be immortalized in Cooperstown until 2028 at the earliest.

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