Pete Rose May Manage in the Major Leagues After All

Pete Rose Junior standing next to his famous father

Pete Rose Jr. and Ken Griffey Jr were born five days apart in November, 1969 but their talent level was light years apart.

Both were sons of Big Red Machine heroes and both had the desire to compete.  One retired as one of the greatest hitters of all-time.  The other is working hard to make his mark on his own.

Rose Jr. is the manager of the Bristol White Sox in the Appalachian League.  The league is for freshly drafted players and Rose earned a shot at teaching and managing this talent in the Chicago White Sox organization.

The younger Rose clearly did not posses the bat speed necessary to become a star in the major leagues but that did not stop him from giving it his all.  He made himself into a decent minor league player for 21 years.  When age caught up to him, Rose still competed in the independent Atlantic League, chasing his dream.

It may have been blind a blind desire to follow in his father's footsteps but nevertheless, he worked as hard as anyone to make it on his own.

Rose Jr. was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles with its 12th pick of the 1988 draft out of Oak Hills High School in Cincinnati.  His minor league journey took him through the Cleveland, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies organization before he landed in the Reds system.

Through nine seasons, he played just a handful of games above Double A.  In 1997 he had his best minor league season with the Chattanooga Lookouts in the Reds organization.  Rose hit .301 with 25 home runs for the Lookouts.

The Reds gave him a shot in September of that year.  Jim Bowden, playing to the crowd, decided to put him on the Major League team.  Jack McKeon was not crazy about the idea, thinking that Rose was being patronized.  McKeon knew he was not a big league prospect and thought the club would be better served to get a look at a prospect instead.

Yet, McKeon told the press following the Reds, "He's a fine young man.  He works as hard as anyone and will do anything you ask him to do."

Rose had 14 at bats and just two hits that September and never played in the Major Leagues again.

Hopefully, Petey, as he is known, can make his mark as a manager.  He is truly deserving if you judge by work ethic and desire alone.