Pete Rose is MLB's career hits leader

Pete Rose met baseball commissioner Bud Selig two weeks ago to discuss his possible reinstatement to the game, according to reports.

In 1989, Rose, then manager of the Cincinnati Reds, accepted a lifetime ban from baseball following an investigation into his gambling.

Responding to the reports on ESPN.com, Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said: "There have been a number of stories reporting alleged conversations or meetings [between Selig and Rose].

"Pete Rose applied for reinstatement to commissioner Selig several years ago and that application has been pending since that time.

"Given the pendency of the application for reinstatement, neither the commissioner or anyone in our office will comment on the Pete Rose matter further."

Rose, baseball's career hits leader and a Hall of Fame certainty had he not been banned from baseball, applied for reinstatement in 1997.

However, Selig refused to rule on the matter, saying he had not seen any evidence that would make him alter the lifetime ban.

Selig is expected to insist that Rose admits he bet on baseball - something he has never done - before he would be reinstated.