Johnny Bench is HOF material would have simply knocked someone else in. Rose obviously is one of the most talented MLB’ers of all time but I know little about his gambling, how long he had done it? had he thrown games? etc
Rose would probably have been in the HOF by now if he had been more humble about his failings.
That option wasn’t available after John Dowd’s investigation. He was facing long prison sentences in trials in which he would be ratting out Mafiosi, politicians, government officials, etc.
He would be a dead man before he ever testified.