Sports gambling, Pete Rose and MLB’s slippery slope

Major League Baseball needs to be careful about where it walks, because it’s nearing a slippery slope.

The slope is sports gambling.

Two questions immediately come to mind. What does MLB do now about banished hit king Pete Rose? As team-sponsored gambling becomes more ubiquitous, what safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of the game?

Let’s get something straight right off the top. While I don’t bet on the outcome of games — or on all of the inner workings and side best of sports — I’m not making a moral judgment on gambling. If people want to wager money on how many homers Vladamir Gurrerro Jr. hits this season, bet on how many runs the Yankees score against the Red Sox in a weekend series, or take the over on how many games the Rockies will win this season, that’s their business.

According to Forbes, Americans wagered a record $57.22 billion on sports last season. Sports gambling is legal in 30 states (including Colorado) and the District of Columbia. It’s America’s pastime.

But with the explosion of sports betting comes issues, and I’m not talking about those grating “And … Make … It … Rain!” TV commercials.

Let’s start with Rose, baseball’s all-time hit leader who received a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 when an investigation revealed that he gambled on baseball games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. He accepted a permanent place on baseball’s ineligible list, and two years later, the Hall of Fame voted to exclude all individuals on the permanently ineligible list.

You can bet that “Charlie Hustle” took notice when a few days ago Charlie Blackmon became the first active Major League Baseball player to endorse a bookmaker.

“I just came up at the wrong time,” Rose told USA TODAY Sports. “I was 30 years too early.”

Rose also said: “Baseball is pretty much in bed with gambling now.”

Blackmon, the Rockies’ all-star outfielder, hooked up with MaximBet, a Colorado-based company. Blackmon will be an ambassador in marketing campaigns, promotions, social media content, and attend various events for the online sportsbook.

There’s a lot of money to be made via gambling, and MLB, its partners, and its players aren’t about to miss out on the jackpot.

It used to be that marketing and sponsorship deals with legal sportsbooks were restricted to MLB and team entities, but they were prohibited for players and coaches. However, the new collective bargaining agreement now allows them to participate.

In a recent interview on ESPN’s SportsCenter, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred raved about the future of in-game betting.

“We see it primarily as a form of increasing fan engagement. It’s an additional way for our fans to interact with the game,” Manfred said. “I do think in-game betting is going to be a significant component. I think if you talk to people who are experts in the field, that they don’t see outcome betting as a major growth area.

“It is in fact in-game betting, so-called prop betting, that is going to be the growth area. And most of that betting is going to take place on mobile devices.”

And yet Rose, now 81, is still banned from even being considered for the Hall of Fame. Suspected steroid users Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens at least got the chance to be on the ballot for 10 years.

Listen, I get it. Rose committed baseball’s mortal sin by betting on games, even though Rose still doesn’t seem to understand that what he did wrong.

“I bet on my own team to win. If I was around today nobody would think anything of it,” Rose told Sportico.

MLB, as it must, still prohibits players from betting on baseball, but Rose argues that he’s been punished long enough.

“Look, I (expletive) up,” Rose told USA Today. “I messed up when I did what I did, ok? I can’t bring it back.

“However, I would wish baseball would just give me an opportunity to be on the (Hall of Fame) ballot. Not, put me in, let the writers decide. I’ve been suspended since ’89, 33 years ago. That’s a long time. And to be honest with you, it probably cost me $100 million.

“I’m not complaining, I’m just saying I’ve been punished pretty severely.”

I think he’s right. Allow the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to vote on Rose.

And, fine, allow Blackmon and other players to hook up with sportsbooks if they want to. But MLB had better monitor the situation carefully.

Blackmon is a man of integrity and would never bet on baseball, I’m sure of that. But with more and more money pouring into sports gambling, the temptation for people on the inside to lay down wagers will only grow.

Clubbies, low-paid assistant coaches, and other staffers will have inside information on injuries, clubhouse clashes, hangovers, lineups, etc. Baseball had better make sure that stuff isn’t leaking out to the wise guys who set the odds.

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