Pete Rose to Participate in 2015 MLB All-Star Game Festivities

When Major League Baseball descends on Cincinnati for the 2015 All-Star Game on July 14, Pete Rose will be there with everyone else.   

According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, Rose said he received MLB's blessing to be on the field at Great American Ball Park for Tuesday's pregame festivities.  

In addition to his participation in the All-Star festivities, Bob Nightengale of USA Today noted that Rose anticipates a meeting with MLB commissioner Rob Manfred at some point after the game, but an official date has yet to be set.

Manfred confirmed that no meeting had been scheduled on July 14, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN, saying the situation was "ongoing." Manfred said he was waiting until he had a "grasp of all the material," via ESPN's Jayson Stark. 

Shaikin also added this quote from Rose:

Rose gave some indication of what he may say to Manfred if/when their meeting happens, via Jim Owczarski of the Cincinnati Enquirer:

MLB fans have been voting all season for their "Franchise Four," which determines the four best players in a franchise's history. Shaikin noted on Twitter that Rose, along with Johnny Bench, Barry Larkin and Joe Morgan, won the Reds vote. 

The results for all 30 teams will be revealed prior to the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Rose, who currently works as an analyst for Fox Sports, has been on baseball's ineligible list since August 1989 for betting on baseball games as a manager. He's applied for reinstatement multiple times, most recently in March 2015. 

Manfred said in March, via CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, that he was "prepared to deal with (Rose's) request on its merits."

In June, William Weinbaum and T.J. Quinn of ESPN's Outside the Lines (via ESPN.com) reported that Rose also bet on games while he was a player. 

It's unclear how, if at all, that report may affect Rose's case for reinstatement. He sounds encouraged by the fact Manfred is willing to meet with him to discuss the situation, so the answers may be coming soon. 

Regardless of how that scenario plays out, Rose will undoubtedly be received well by the fans in Cincinnati, where he played from 1963-78 and 1984-86.