SARASOTA, Fla. - Dear Pete,
No doubt you are regretting your little trip to Reds' training camp this week. I'm sure you had no intentions of making yourself look like a fool, but unfortunately, that's what happened. Hey, you were there as a father, right? What's wrong with that?
Nothing, really, if all you did was come watch Pete Jr. take some batting practice. If you'd have kept to yourself, even been a little stand-offish and just ignored the frenzy, none of this would have happened and the Reds wouldn't be in so much trouble.
You see, Pete, when you gave that speech to those minor leaguers, you did a really stupid thing. I understand it was as innocent as could be. They asked, and you obliged. Any father could have done it. Bob Boone's done it. You thought it was harmless and so did they.
But the problem is that you should have known better. For that matter, so should Donnie Scott, the minor league coach who asked you to speak. But you should have known this was going to get you in trouble. You should know that baseball has a permanent fix on you.
And on top of that, you had to go make things worse. You practically dared somebody to nail you. I mean, you've got some serious guts, walking up to the line of the major league clubhouse (from which you're banned, as you know) and sticking your toes over it in the air, like some little punk kid playing ''nanny-nanny boo-boo.'' Couldn't you have just stayed away? You could still have watched Petey play and there wouldn't have been a controversy.
I don't know what you think, but I don't think the Reds should be fined for this. It was an honest mistake. A dumb one, but an honest one. For you, I don't know what kind of punishment baseball could come up with that it hasn't already.
They've already banned you from the game for life, and there isn't any way that's going to change, regardless of this latest catastrophe. But I'd say your petition for reinstatement, which wasn't going to get approved anyway, isn't worth much.
But Pete, I think we're missing the larger question here. The big issue is not your spur-of-the-moment talk, it's the fact you've become simply notorious. You're not really a celebrity anymore, but you're still seeking the publicity, eager to get in front of any camera that works and do anything to help promote yourself. There you were Wednesday, holding court with the media, looking like you did back in your playing days when you'd go 4 for 4 and every reporter in the country stood at your locker.
But here you were, looking like a man sadly and desperately trying to hold on to his fame.
Still has his stories
You were funny, even bordering on the edge of charming, for that 45 minutes you talked with us. Man, you sure told some good stories. But you know, you sounded really arrogant.
What was that crack you made about minor leaguers? ''I have more money in my pocket than minor leaguers make in a year?'' That was pretty tacky, Pete.
And really, give this thing a rest about how you bet on football and nothing else. If that was all there was, why did you accept the lifetime ban? Your arrogance is astounding.
See, the easiest thing to do would just have been to shut up. Just walk past the reporters and say, ''Hi, no comment,'' and just walk away. But no, you had to talk, because it appears you love the stage. It's apparent you just couldn't turn down an opportunity to promote yourself and your case.
I know, I know. All of us media hacks are as much a part of the problem as you. We stood out there in a pack for an hour waiting for you, and then we asked for your time. We're leeches, we suck the blood out of anybody. But that's our job. If you'd have politely declined, I don't think any of us would have been offended.
This is why I say you're getting notorious.
You want evidence? Two words: WrestleMania. The fact that you're involved with Mike Tyson and Gennifer Flowers ought to tell you something. Don't you think that's a little beneath a star like you?
Look, all I'm saying is it's time to go away. Don't take one of these radio jobs you've been offered. You've done something bad, and we can forgive you, but for the sake of everyone, just go quietly into that good night.
Scott MacGregor covers the Reds for the Enquirer.
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