Quote:
Originally Posted by magnet 2.0
Betting on a game you're involved in is not "the appearance of impropriety", it is impropriety. What was the old saying from Reds' fans in 1986? "If Pete put himself in the game today, he's got money on tomorrow"?
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Betting on games is not the core issue as far as Baseball is concerned. Ensuring that fans believe the games are on the up and up and the results are not predetermined is the core issue. Having players with financial stakes in the outcome of a particular game undermines that. It does not mean that the games are fixed, but it makes people wonder if they are. This gives the appearance of impropriety, whether or not any actual shenanigans are taking place. And that is not good. It is why Pete was punished. Because even though he only bet on his team to win that does not guarantee that everything is kosher. He could bet big on his team and then pay off one of his opponents to throw the game and come out financially ahead. That does not mean that Pete ever did that, but his actions could cause people to wonder whether he did or not and thus Baseball's credibility suffers because of the appearance of impropriety.
And I have lived in the Cincinnati area for 45 years and I have not ever heard of the old saying you refer to from 1986.....and if you think that even in 1986, that Pete was not convinced in his own heart that he could help the Reds win games more by being in the lineup than not, then you don't know Pete (or Jack)......