The reaction is entirely understandable, though. Rose was banned for betting on baseball. Now, after almost a century of standing firm against anyone betting on baseball, MLB is cashing in.
With the Supreme Court granting each state the authority to legalize sports betting, MLB wants to share in the money generated by gambling. It is not inconceivable that ballparks eventually could have betting windows, just as British soccer stadiums do now.
That’s an easy question, actually. With the league in business with its first “official gaming partner,” MLB is putting millions in jeopardy if it cannot convince would-be bettors that its games are on the level.