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Baseball

Schmidt believes Rose will return

CLEARWATER -- Mike Schmidt arrived at the Carpenter Complex on Tuesday armed with some interesting opinions.

The Phillies' Hall of Fame third baseman said that he is optimistic Pete Rose will be reinstated by commissioner Bud Selig and that it's possible his controversial former teammate will be allowed to participate in opening-day ceremonies at the Great American Ball Park, the new home of the Cincinnati Reds.

That opinion goes against a report last week that Selig will not consider Rose's plea for reinstatement before the season.

Schmidt was at the November meeting in Milwaukee between Rose and Selig that triggered the notion baseball's all-time hits leader would be allowed back into baseball after a 13-year ban.

"I was part of figuring out how the process with Pete should move forward," Schmidt said.

Rose, who agreed to a lifetime suspension in 1989 after an extensive gambling investigation by the commissioner's office, may have hurt his chances for reinstatement when he was seen seen last month at the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas and the sports book at Caesars Palace. He also reportedly owes the IRS more than $151,689 as part of a lien placed on his home in southern California.

"Pete's always going to be Pete," Schmidt said. "He was not doing anything illegal by being in a casino watching a football game."

Wasn't he at least guilty of bad judgment?

"I would agree with that," Schmidt said.

Schmidt, a hitting instructor for the second straight year, also had some strong opinions about the Phillies.

"If you go position by position, they're one of the top three teams in baseball," he said. "That's not only my opinion, that's the opinion of several managers I've talked to. (St. Louis manager) Tony La Russa is raving about this club."

-- BOB BROOKOVER

Matsui okay after root canal

TAMPA -- Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui worked out with the Yankees, one day after having a root canal.

"No problem," Matsui said through an interpreter. "Just one tooth. It didn't hurt as much as I thought."

Manager Joe Torre said Matsui will play in the spring training opener Thursday against the Reds.

Matsui went 0-for-2 in his first intrasquad game Monday. The three-time MVP of Japan's Central League started in leftfield and hit fifth.

-- ASSOCIATED PRESS

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