Rose was told, and had every reason to expect that "lifetime" meant "one year". He was told that.
Remember Steinbrenner. Also banned for life, for actions that are much more clearly harmful to both the sport and to others.
Yet reinstated. The continued persecution of Rose comes down to him being born poor on the bad side of Cincy and Baseball's rich owners being done with him now.
He no longer can make big bucks for them so they chucked him to the side to forget about him.