The Pittsburgh Pirates almost landed Pete Rose

Cincinnati Reds and MLB legend Pete Rose passed away this week at the age of 83. It was a sad loss for the baseball world. There is also an interesting connection between him and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Rose, affectionately known by many as the “Hit King,” was one of the best players Major League Baseball has ever seen. Unfortunately, he also got caught up in a betting scandal that resulted in the league banning him.

It was a sad end to his career, but one that was often discussed among fans. Many believe he still should have been nominated and elected to the MLB Hall of Fame.

Of course, Rose was a longtime rival of the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, he was almost a member of the Pirates at one point.

After the 1978 season, the Reds and Rose found themselves in a difficult contract situation, which led to him deciding to test the waters and possibly leave Cincinnati.

A variety of teams made offers to Rose when he hit free agency. The Pirates were one of those teams.

Ultimately, Rose narrowed his options to just three teams. He thought about Pittsburgh, the Kansas City Royals and the Philadelphia Phillies. He quickly crossed the Royals off that list.

He ultimately decided to sign with the Phillies because Philadelphia offered a little more money.

The fact that Pittsburgh is on the verge of signing Rose is still painful for those who remember the situation. It would have been extremely entertaining to welcome one of the best players of all time to the Pirates.

Although Pittsburgh didn't get Rose as a free agent in the offseason, he won the 1979 World Series. One can only wonder how good the team would have been if they had signed Rose.

The MLB legend ultimately led the Phillies to a World Series victory in 1980. Unfortunately, the Pirates haven't been to the World Series since their win in 1979.

However, our prayers are with Rose's family and friends during this difficult time. It's still unfortunate that we never got to see him play for the Pirates.

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