Angel Hernandez had a worse game than did the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the team’s ALDS matchup with the Boston Red Sox. And that’s saying something, because the Bronx Bombers got hammered 16-1.
Working at first base for the night, the umpire had four of his calls challenged, and three of them were overturned by video replay review.
The first two blown calls came on tough, close plays.
But the final overturned call inspired more than a few former and current MLB stars to shake their heads in familiar disappointment.
Like retired All-Star catcher Paul Lo Duca.
And Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones.
Can I retweet this 100 times so it gets the point across!!!
And Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez.
Pedro Martinez went off on umpire Angel Hernandez to open the TBS postgame:
“Angel was horrible. Don’t get me going on Angel now. Major League Baseball needs to do something about Angel. It doesn’t matter how many times he sues Major League Baseball. He’s as bad as there is. “
And recently retired pitcher Brandon McCarthy.
Yanks can score 10 more and win in an all time come back and this will still forever be the ‘Angel Hernandez game’ for me.
And retired longtime utility man Jerry Hairston Jr.
Working #Dodgers but Angel Hernandez is trending … I don’t know what it’s about but at the same time, I know what it’s about. #MLB #PostSeason
And YES analyst and former catcher John Flaherty, who took exception to Hernandez’s laughing after one of his four challenged calls wasn’t overturned.
“It’s not that funny, Angel … these are playoff games.”
– @flash17yes on Angel Hernandez’s performance in Game 3
Also, Angel Hernandez will be the home plate umpire tonight.
Hernandez will move from the second-most visible umpire position to the most visible one, home plate, in Game 4. Which doesn’t sit right with former reliever Jeff Nelson.
When we played the game of baseball and we stunk, we got released. When umpires stink, they get home plate game 4 of ALDS
@mrexclusive316 Not Blaming the umps, never do. He’s just not a good umpire and doesn’t belong doing playoff games. Majority do a great job and care about getting the calls right. Good thing for replay
As you may have gleaned, Hernandez is reputed to be among the league’s worst umpires, if not the worst.
The ump opted out of meeting with media after the game, but the league offered this statement: “There were several very close calls at first base tonight, and we are glad that instant replay allowed the umpiring crew to achieve the proper result on all of them.”
Angel Hernandez’s Beef With Ian Kinsler
Red Sox second baseman Ian Kinsler might find it tough to get the benefit of the doubt from Hernandez in Game 4.
In August 2017, Hernandez ejected Kinsler, then playing for the Detroit Tigers, in the middle of a plate appearance, prompting the second baseman to recommend the ump find a new job.
“No, I’m surprised at how bad an umpire he is,” Kinsler said when asked if he was surprised at how quickly he’d been thrown out, according to The Detroit News. “I don’t know how, for as many years he’s been in the league, that he can be that bad. He needs to reevaluate his career choice, he really does. Bottom line. … This has to do with changing the game. He’s changing the game. He needs to find another job. He really does. … He’s just that bad.”
Kinsler then recalled a story from his rookie season. After making a throw to first to end a frame, the second baseman started heading off the field when he got an earful from the ump.
“He started screaming at me,” Kinsler told The Detroit News. “For, in my recollection, no reason. For no reason he is belittling me, telling me, ‘Rookie this,’ and ‘Rookie that.’ Because he said I got in his way of making a call at first base. When I flipped the ball to first base, I ran into his line of vision.
“I’m the one playing the game. It’s your job to figure out where to go to get a view of that play. I’m not going to worry about flipping the ball and getting out of the umpire’s way. I had no idea what was going on. I was just like, ‘OK. OK. OK!”
Angel Hernandez Is Suing MLB
The Cuban-born Hernandez filed a lawsuit on July 3, 2017, alleging that racial discrimination had prevented him from being named a crew chief and working World Series (he’s umped two, in 2002 and 2005).
“As a direct and proximate result of Major League Baseball’s wrongful acts and omissions, Hernandez has sustained injuries and damages including … mental anguish; physical and emotional distress; humiliation and embarrassment; and loss of professional reputation,” the suit reads.
Perhaps in response to the ump’s allegations, the league has assigned Hernandez to work in both postseasons and the 2017 All-Star Game since the suit’s filing.
His performance on Monday night should make a great defense.
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Angel Hernandez Blows 3 Calls in Red Sox Blowout of Yankees, MLB Players React