{"id":1950504,"date":"2023-06-18T17:02:01","date_gmt":"2023-06-18T21:02:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/first-time-for-everything-mlb-star-and-world-series-hero-declines-induction-into-teams-hall-of-fame\/"},"modified":"2023-06-18T17:03:44","modified_gmt":"2023-06-18T21:03:44","slug":"first-time-for-everything-mlb-star-and-world-series-hero-declines-induction-into-teams-hall-of-fame","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/first-time-for-everything-mlb-star-and-world-series-hero-declines-induction-into-teams-hall-of-fame\/","title":{"rendered":"MLB Star and World Series Hero Rejects Team&#8217;s Hall of Fame Induction"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ffirst-time-for-everything-mlb-star-and-world-series-hero-declines-induction-into-teams-hall-of-fame%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1950504&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>An Unprecedented Decision: MLB Star and World Series Hero Declines Induction Into Team&#8217;s Hall of Fame<\/h2>\n<p>An obvious statement of fact, but a statement of fact regardless: Not every MLB player will make the National Baseball Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n<p>Given that, it\u2019s understandable that each <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/mlb-legend-curt-schilling-shreds-dodgers-anti-christian-stunt-billionaires-cant-math\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MLB<\/a> team hosts its own little version of a team Hall of Fame for those <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/source-tells-cnn-if-mlb-didnt-move-all-star-game-media-would-have-hounded-players\/\" title=\"Source Tells CNN If MLB Didn\u2019t Move All-Star Game, Media Would Have Hounded Players\">star players<\/a> who mean so much to a franchise \u2014 but may not have the statistical accomplishments to make the Hall proper.<\/p>\n<p>It is, with all <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wash-state-rep-introduces-bill-to-ban-public-schools-from-having-native-american-mascots\/\" title=\"Wash. state rep. introduces bill to ban public schools from having Native American mascots\">due respect<\/a>, a rather rote and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/schools-new-misgendering-rules-will-create-compliant-fearful-children-perfect-for-totalitarianism\/\" title=\"Schools\u2019 New Misgendering Rules Will Create Compliant, Fearful Children Perfect For Totalitarianism\">meaningless distinction<\/a> that will typically mean more to a team\u2019s fan base than just about anyone else. Given that, these quasi-Hall of Fame inductions have generally happened without a hitch throughout the annals of sports history.<\/p>\n<p>That tranquility came to a curious conclusion on Saturday when retired St. Louis Cardinals star David Freese declined his induction into the team\u2019s Hall of Fame \u2014 to a decidedly mixed reaction.<\/p>\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mlb.com\/cardinals\/press-release\/press-release-cardinals-2023-hall-of-fame-induction-class-update?t=cardinals-press-releases\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">statement<\/a> released through the team, Freese, effectively, disqualified himself from the team\u2019s Hall of Fame based on his accomplishments and had \u201cchosen to withdraw his candidacy for induction into the team\u2019s Hall of Fame.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is something that I have given an extreme amount of thought to, humbly, even before the voting process began. I am aware of the impact I had helping the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/first-time-for-everything-mlb-star-and-world-series-hero-declines-induction-into-teams-hall-of-fame\/\" title=\"MLB Star and World Series Hero Rejects Team's Hall of Fame Induction\">team bring great memories<\/a> to the city I grew up in, including the 11th championship, but this honor means more to me,\u201d Freese said.<\/p>\n<p>Freese added: \u201cI look at who I was during my tenure, and that weighs heavily on me. The Cardinals and the entire city have always had my back in every way. I\u2019m forever grateful to be part of such an amazing organization and fan base then, now and in the future.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m especially sorry to the fans that took the time to cast their votes. Cardinal Nation is basically the reason why I\u2019ve unfortunately waited so long for this decision and made it more of a headache for so many people. I feel strongly about my decision and understand how people might feel about this.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI get it. I\u2019ll wear it. Thank you for always being there for me, and I am excited to be around the Cardinals as we move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The release makes clear that Freese would still be a part of the organization as an alumnus and still be associated with the franchise.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-cardinals-pitcher-surprises-packed-stadium-performance-star-spangled-banner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cardinals<\/a> president Bill DeWitt III noted that the team was \u201cdisappointed\u201d in Freese\u2019s decision, but respected it.<\/p>\n<p>If you do any sort of search for this story on social media, you\u2019ll be inundated with all manner of responses and takes.<\/p>\n<p>Some people feel that Freese is the ultimate paragon of humility. Others feel that Freese is being a bit of an egomaniac by making a fan celebration about himself (and also noting it\u2019s not the best look for the organization or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/mlb-teams-fans-stage-reverse-boycott-throw-garbage-onto-field-send-message-owner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">MLB<\/a> either.)<\/p>\n<p>Now, as to Freese\u2019s accomplishments with the Cards?<\/p>\n<p>You can judge for yourself if you think he deserves that induction:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>44 home runs, 237 RBIs, .286 batting average across 466 games with the club<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>2012 All-Star<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>2011 World Series champion, World Series MVP, and NLCS MVP<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Compare those numbers to another Cards Hall of Fame third baseman, Scott Rolen:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>111 home runs, 453 RBIs, .286 batting average across 661 games with the club<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Four-time All-Star (2003-2006) with the club<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Three-time Gold Glove winner (2003-2004, 2006) with the club<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>2006 World Series Champion<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It does feel like no comparison, as amazing as Freese played in that 2011 postseason stretch. But that stretch shouldn\u2019t be discounted.<\/p>\n<p>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/mlb\/story\/_\/id\/37869141\/world-series-hero-david-freese-declines-cardinals-hof-invite\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ESPN<\/a> noted, Freese drove in 21 runs during that 2011 playoffs run, which is an MLB record.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, and he also starred in one of the most iconic playoff games in franchise history:<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-embed\">\n<\/div>\n<p>The Cardinals Hall of Fame Weekend begins Aug. 18 and goes through the 20th.<\/p>\n<p>The post <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/first-time-everything-mlb-star-world-series-hero-declines-induction-teams-hall-fame\/\">First Time for Everything? MLB Star and World Series Hero Declines Induction Into Team&#8217;s Hall of Fame<\/a> appeared first on <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Not all MLB players make the Hall of Fame. Hence, MLB teams have their own team Hall of Fame to honor star players who hold significance to the franchise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2015,"featured_media":1950505,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[12286,9165,6845,29006,12138,5009,8612,5229,5519],"class_list":["post-1950504","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily","tag-fame","tag-hall","tag-hero","tag-induction","tag-mlb","tag-rejects","tag-series","tag-star","tag-teams"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1950504","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2015"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1950504"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1950504\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1950505"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1950504"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1950504"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1950504"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}