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It's a glorious day. The sun is out, the flowers are blooming, and Ángel Hernández is DONE umpiring for Major League Baseball. The bad toxin that is Hernández, will no longer spread it's dirty poison across the game of baseball. Take a deep breath and rejoice, baseball fans. Hernández is nothing but an afterthought. I can't say we are "so back", but I will say that we are soooo going forward. Like Cube said- today is a good day.
Hernández reaches a settlement with Major League Baseball to retire and walk away after three controversial decades as a big league ump; calling thousands of games since he took the gig in 1991. I kid you not on the controversial dig. The cat has been a walking example of horrendous job performance for over 30 years. Creating frustration and spite for managers, players, fans, and sponsors. Hernández made bad calls his entire tenure as an ump, but it was when he became the "face" of MLB umpiring, taking over the title from the retired Joe West in 2022, when he really started to go above and beyond. Ángel was so delusional on his performance, never once did he claim accountability, nor did he try to improve his performance. The longer he was employed, the more the MLB lost it's integrity & respect. The more players had lost their wits:
video via ArcainiLuke//X
Hernández was the trademark for bad calls. Kyle Schwarber isn't the only player to lose their cool towards one, or many, of Hernández's bad calls. Schwarber's outburst is one of my favorites, though. Hernández didn't care to do his job good yet alone to par. Look at him while Kyle is chewin' his tale. Just standing there; not a care in the world. The same demeanor he had towards caring for his profession. Ángel had three calls reversed by replay in the first four innings of a 2018 playoff game- a year after Hernández sued the MLB for racial discrimination for removing him from umpiring in the playoffs (for his performance). MLB of course won the appeal after rolling a tv out to play a highlight reel of Ángel making dog***t calls to back their reasonings. Ángel was a pure toxin to the game. All the court needed to do was to hear out CC Sabathia:
video via patokeefe12//X
Hernández stayed alive through the times due to his ability to form comradery and the ability to be a kiss-ass. Just like your Roger Goodells, politicians, and Rob Manfreds of the earth. The rest of the umpire clubhouse liked Hernández; backed him up. Having their comradery surely was a factor of him surviving to "retirement". Hernández now being a thing of the past is great for the future of baseball (he played that negative of a role). Allowing his performance was far past moral. With the age of sports gambling now hitting a high, getting rid of Hernández was a must. Manfred may not care about the integrity of the sport (coward), but he has to care about the cause and effect of sports betting/gambling. I am speaking in this tense as I believe Hernández was asked to retire; sparking the settlement negotiations. Not to ever give Manfred any credit of the doubt. Walking in the middle of the season points to that; his back is not the reason.
It really was a breath of fresh air reading the retirement announcement earlier. Hernández now leaves us with just one more nasty toxin to remove- Rob Manfred. We might have to bare through another five more years with Manfred's 2029 retirement plan, but at least we won't have Hernández to deal with anymore and we have a set date regarding Manfred. Skies the limit baseball fans. Skies the limit. So long Ángel Hernández. You surely won't be missed. I don't have near the time or care to add a slideshow of his bad calls. You can enjoy Calico Joe's thread of them on X. I will leave you with one of my favorite moments; Bears' great Steve McMichael calling out Hernández during a 7th-inning stretch:
video via NBCSCubs//X
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