By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Pete Rose story officially reached the ridiculous stage Thursday when the New York Post quoted John Dowd as saying Rose was going to return as the Reds' manager.

"There's absolutely nothing to that," Reds chief operating officer John Allen said. "We've had no discussion with Major League Baseball about that. We haven't been involved in the talks at all. Mr. (Carl) Lindner or I would be aware if there were discussions."

Dowd, the lawyer who headed the investigation of Rose in 1989, also told the Post he had evidence Rose bet against the Reds while he managed the team.

"That's the first I've ever heard of that," said former commissioner Fay Vincent, who was the deputy commissioner when Rose was given a lifetime suspension for violating Rule 21, which prohibits betting on baseball.

Dowd's 225-page report cited 412 incidents that Rose wagered on baseball, including 52 on the Reds. But the report said, "No evidence was discovered that Rose bet against the Cincinnati Reds."

Rose's agent, Warren Greene, said he wouldn't comment on the new allegations from Dowd.

Rose met with commissioner Bud Selig in Milwaukee on Nov. 25 to discuss reinstatement.

Rose broke his silence Thursday on the matter - sort of - by issuing the following statement:

"I greatly appreciate the tremendous fan support and interest in my quest for reinstatement back into Major League Baseball. I carry with each of you the passion to enter a new phase of this long drama. Since I submitted my application for reinstatement back in 1997, I have looked forward to the opportunity to once again become a part of this great game. I can say today that we have been provided the forum to discuss all of the issues with Major League Baseball. Please respect this delicate process and permit those of us intimate with the details to continue our efforts."

Vincent thinks fan pressure is the impetus behind the recent activity on the Rose front.

"The fans have been so supportive, and Bud's had so much trouble on the Rose issue," Vincent said, "that I think he's playing to the gallery on this."

Dowd suggested that if Rose admits to betting on baseball as part of the agreement to be reinstated, MLB should re-open the investigation.

"I don't think Bud would do that," Vincent said.

Vincent said Selig is in a precarious position.

"If Pete admits he bet on baseball, two days later he's going to say he only did it to get back in," Vincent said. "He'll make a fool of Bud, just like he did with us in 1989. The minute the agreement was signed, he said he didn't bet on baseball, even though the agreement said there'd be no admission or denial.

"Pete's not very sophisticated, but he's clever."

Because of that, Vincent would put a stipulation on any reinstatement.

"I'd put him on probation for two years and talk about the perils of gambling - not just in baseball but in sports," Vincent said. "That way, you make sure he's clean."

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com