Veteran umpire Angel Hernandez is officially retiring – here’s a look at his best moments
Veteran umpire Angel Hernandez is officially retiring.
Hernandez has officially confirmed that he will be retiring from Major League Baseball. In a statement released on Monday, Hernandez said he got to spend over three decades living out his childhood dream of being an MLB umpire. He thanked his colleagues and acknowledged the friends and camaraderie he made along the way.
Angel Hernandez releases statement on retirement:
“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. 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.
“I have decided that I want to spend more time with my family. Needless to say, there have been many positive changes in the game of baseball since I first entered the profession. This 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.”
Hernandez has been an MLB umpire since 1991 and worked in 3,840 games, according to Baseball Almanac. Last season, he worked just 46 games due to a medical issue.
Hard to imagine that all 30 teams across Major League Baseball didn’t collectively take a deep, long, sigh of relief after hearing that Angel Hernandez’s reign of terror on the bases has finally come to an end.
While Hernandez became one of the most high-profile umpires ever, most of it was because of the wrong reasons. Unfortunately, the veteran umpire had been known by players and fans alike for making some of the worst calls ever, which ultimately would go viral on social media.
There are an endless amount of Angel Hernandez blown calls and I’m sure a quick Google Search will pull up more than you could watch in a single sitting. I’ll sprinkle a bunch more into this post below, but the two that obviously stood out to me featured our very own Phillies, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.
Kyle Schwarber vs Angel Hernandez
MLB and Hernandez spent the last few weeks “negotiating a financial settlement” before coming to an agreement over the weekend, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Does that mean Major League Baseball finally forced Hernandez out? I’m not exactly sure but that little retirement tidbit definitely caught my attention.
Hernandez last served as home plate umpire for a May 9 contest between the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. After the White Sox’ 3-2 victory, Hernandez left the crew and was replaced by second-year umpire Jacob Metz.
Angel Hernandez vs Bryce Harper
Honestly, I think I might actually miss Angel Hernandez. Did he make my blood boil throughout the past 20+ years? Absolutely, but maybe that’s just part of the charm. The MLB moving towards Robot Umpires is inevitable. Guys like Angel Hernandez are a dying breed.
Here’s to better calls behind home plate and to a historic career in Major League Baseball.
Thread of Angel Hernandez ‘questionable’ calls on Twitter:
Cheers, Angel Hernandez. Enjoy retirement.
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