As with most comparisons of players from different eras, a purely statistical approach isn't too helpful, but theoretical comparisons are always fun. And sizing up Captain Clutch with Charlie Hustle is a nice study. I've had the pleasure to see both play.

While their careers are only separated by a gap of roughly ten seasons, the eras, in which they played are stark. Rose began the first six or seven years of his career in a golden age of pitching, so dominant that baseball lowered pitching mounds to the present height after 1968 and instituted the DH in the AL in the early 1970s. Conversely, Jeter began his career in the mid-90s when baseball witnessed its most dramatic offensive explosion, especially in power numbers due to cozier parks, a tighter baseball, recent expansion and performance enhancing substances, both legal and illegal.

I've always maintained that Rose was the only player I saw, for whom there is no adequate comparison among his peers or subsequent players (He's probably the closest thing to Ty Cobb the game has seen with respect to his approach). He didn't hit a lot of homers and even for his time his homerun seasons were slightly below average, but he was an extraordinary gap hitter, who'd be among league leaders in doubles, and actually has more than twice the triples of Jeter, who had more foot speed.

As a young Phillie fan, I was always most afraid of facing Pete Rose in that Big Red Machine lineup because he always found a way on base and was usually the starting point of the rally. The Phillies signed Rose and it was clear that he was the reason for getting a championship for the team that without him would win 100 games a season, but lose in the playoffs. Any member of the 1980 Phillies would attest to this and any player of the Big Red Machine, not named Johnny Bench, would enthusiastically credit Rose as the primary factor in the runs and wins they accumulated.

Jeter can lay claim to similar testimony. He had more power than Rose, but Rose was a better hitter, certainly a better lead-off hitter. Now if Jeter played in the 70s he'd likely adjust his approach and have fewer homers while probably having more hits than his present total. Similarly, Pete Rose in the 90s would modify his approach and have seasons of 20+ HRs as the homerun was more attainable and a bigger part of the game. He would also sacrifice some base hits in the process.



Defensively, Jeter played a better shortstop than Rose played third, second and first even though Rose was certainly a good fielder and was more versatile than Jeter. What's often forgotten is that in 8 seasons in the outfield early in his career, Rose won two gold gloves. And that's with NL outfielders, like Brock, Mays, Clemente and others. Jeter also won gold gloves deservedly. While both players are very good defensively, I don't think either can be argued as the best defensive player at his position during his time in the game. Yet both have made many memorable heads-up plays (Jeter tossing out Jeremy Giambi at the plate in the play-offs and Rose snatching the ninth inning foul ball that popped out of Bob Boone's glove).

In the end I cast my biased vote with Rose, but it doesn't matter, does it? There are hundreds of things you can toss back and forth on this, and I don't blame the Jeter fans for picking him. One thing's certain: Jeter will leave a greater legacy due to Pete's indiscretions. I love Pete, and have met him maybe a dozen times at various signings. I relived some distinctly wonderful memories with him, and learned that after winning the 1980 World Series, he spent the night babysitting Aaron and Bret Boone, so their dad could celebrate with the team.

I would love in my heart to see Rose reinstated and admitted to the Hall, but my head tells me that his ban, like Shoeless Joe Jackson's, is justified.