Keep Rose Case in Federal Court, Baseball Asks

Attorneys for major league baseball asked a U.S. appeals court Monday to deny Pete Rose’s request to return his case to state court, saying that a dispute between “a local Cincinnati hero and a New York citizen” deserves a federal forum.

Baseball’s request was filed with the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in response to a petition Rose filed last week, asking the court to overrule the July 31 decision of U.S. District Judge Holschuh of Columbus, Ohio. Holschuh earlier ruled that Rose’s suit against baseball Commissioner Bart Giamatti belongs in federal court, not Ohio state court.

There was no indication when the appeals court will rule.

Holschuh has effectively put the case on hold until there is a decision on jurisdiction.