Goodbye and Good Riddance to Angel Hernández

By Dan Schlossberg

Umpires are supposed to be anonymous, impartial arbiters who serve as the policemen of the game.

For the most part, that’s true, though long-time umps like Al Clark (26 years in the majors) insist the men in blue are actually the third team on the field — and worth watching as they communicate with each other and take different positions depending upon game situations.

Occasionally, umpires gain recognition. Doug Harvey was so serious, so resolute, and so professional that his nickname was “God.” Bill Klem was so good at calling balls and strikes that he worked exclusively behind the plate for the last 14 years of his career. And Emmett Ashford, who became the first black umpire in 1966, bellowed his strike calls for the whole stadium to hear.

And then there was Ángel Hernández, who never met a bad call he didn’t like.

Controversial umpire Angel Hernandez has left the game.Photo byMajor League Baseball

He did the baseball world a favor when he retired the day after Memorial Day.

Universally regarded as the worst umpire in baseball, his lack of ability as a balls-and-strikes guy was challenged only by the late Eric Gregg.

Let’s put it this way: Chipper Jones once said he refused to watch any Braves game in that included Hernández behind the plate.

On April 12 of this year, to cite one recent example, Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford struck out on three straight called strikes that clearly missed the zone, with seven other outside pitches in the same game also called strikes by Hernández.

“I have decided that I want to spend more time with my family,” the Cuban native said in a statement. “Needless to say, there have been many positive changes in the game of baseball since I first entered the profession. That includes the expansion and promotion of minorities. I am proud that I was able to be an active participant in that goal while being a Major League umpire.”

Hernández, an umpire for 33 years, twice sued Major League Baseball for alleged discrimination regarding his failure to win prestigious appointments to umpire post-season games. He lost both cases, including the most recent in 2017 (and a subsequent appeal).

The 62-year-old arbiter, who last officiated in a World Series game 19 years ago, worked his last regular-season game on May 9. He spent the past two weeks working out a financial settlement with MLB.

“Starting with my first Major League game in 1991, I have had the very good experience of living out my childhood dream of umpiring in the major leagues,” he said. “There is nothing better than working at a profession that you enjoy. I treasured the camaraderie of my colleagues and the friendships I have made along the way, including our locker room attendants in all the various cities.”

Apparently, he liked them better than they liked him.

A lightning rod for controversy, he was widely considered the worst umpire in the game by players, managers, media members, and fans.

That poor reputation dates back to player polls by Sports Illustrated in 2006 and 2011 ranking him as the third-worst umpire and an ESPN poll in 2010 in which 22 per cent of the respondents fingered Hernández as the worst man in blue.

Hernández began his career as an umpire at the age of 20 in the Florida State League and became a full-time MLB ump in 1993.