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From: david@fisher.UUCP (David Rubin)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Pete Rose
Message-ID: <646@fisher.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 31-May-85 09:29:29 EDT
Article-I.D.: fisher.646
Posted: Fri May 31 09:29:29 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Jun-85 02:09:53 EDT
References: <1080@ihuxn.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: Princeton University Department of Statistics
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> David Cheerson asks, "What do you think of Pete Rose?"

> .............[general tribute to Rose's great career]..........

> As for whether Pete is staying around merely to break Cobb's
> record of 4191 hits, Pete does want the record.  However, he
> still has very good offensive skills.  He is hitting over .290
> (last week in May).  If every player hitting less than .290
> were to retire, there would not be many teams remaining.  I
> believe that if Pete were hitting .220 or .230, he would retire
> and not embarress himself and the game he enjoys so much.

Yes, Rose is hitting .290, but that does not make him a .290 hitter.
Looking at his stats from the past few years, we find he is really
about a .250-.260 hitter with no power who's off to a good start this
year.  I no more expect Rose to bat .290 this season than I expect
Herr to bat .370.  Now Rose's offense is downright good for a
shortstop, decent for a catcher, and not the worst for a benchman.
But Rose is Cincinnati's everyday first baseman!  There are zillions 
of people who could be expected to produce more offense in the Reds'
lineup. 

Cincinnati has a surplus of productive outfielders, some developing
and therefore requiring playing time.  It is insane for the Reds not
to move Cedeno to first so as to get more playing time for Walker,
Redus, Milner, and Davis.  At least, insane from the viewpoint of what
will help the Reds win ballgames.

> Finally, the fans in Cincinnati love Pete Rose.  His first
> game back with the Reds was against the Cubs, and was 
> televised in Chicago.  When he got a hit in his first AB
> in that game the crowd erupted and when the Cubs CF 
> committed an error and let Pete dive into 3B the noise was
> deafening.

No doubt about it, the fans love it, and its their team, right?  But
that doesn't mean we have to pretend that Rose's bat is a positive
asset anywhere but at the gate.

> "What do I think of Pete Rose?"
> I think he is the greatest.
> 				Warren P. Hentrich
> 				ihuxn!wph

Maybe he WAS the greatest.  He's distinctly below average now.  His
continued presence in the lineup (and the convenient insistence on
playing Cedeno in left) may retard the development of the Reds'
talented young outfielders.  If it were not for the pursuit of Cobb's
record, Rose would be at most a pinch-hitter and occasional starter.
Because of the pursuit of the record, he is Cincinnati's biggest draw
and font of baseball excitement.

					David Rubin
			{allegra|astrovax|princeton}!fisher!david