Conversation so far:
When did Bill James write about the Dowd report?
In his Baseball Book 1990, James heavily criticized the methodology of the Dowd Report.
What was the Dowd Report?
The Dowd Report is the document describing the transgressions of baseball player and manager Pete Rose in betting on baseball.
How did Bill James feel about Pete Rose?
Did Bill James think Rose was cheating?
Bill James expanded his defense of Rose in his 2001 book The New Historical Baseball Abstract, with a detailed explanation of why he found the case against Rose flimsy.
Did Bill James ever write another book?
James expanded his defense of Rose in his 2001 book The New Historical Baseball Abstract, with a detailed explanation of why he found the case against Rose flimsy.

Question: Why did he want to defend Rose?
Self-contained rewrite: Why did Bill James want to defend Pete Rose?