Sunday night was the type of baseball game that fans would typically love. It was a quick 1-0 Brewers victory over the Phillies, with Eric Lauer striking out 13 batters in six innings and Aaron Nola allowing just one hit. And yet, despite those excellent performances, the spotlight will once again shine on Angel Hernandez.
That was the case throughout the game. Hernandez had his typically questionable night behind the plate, leaving Jon Heyman to wonder if the umpire can see the ‘E’ on an eye chart. He called pitches far off the plate on either side a strike, as his strike zone was wide enough to fit Bartolo Colon, Colon’s buffet table, and still have room for Pablo Sandoval.
Time for MLB players to boycott Angel Hernandez
That continued right until the end of the game. Hernandez punched Kyle Schwarber out on a 3-2 pitch that was low and away, a pitch that Josh Hader clearly thought was a ball. However, for Hernandez, it was close enough, as he ended the game with that call. Schwarber made sure to get his, and everyone else’s, thoughts about Hernandez to the umpire in approximately ten seconds after he was ejected for spiking his bat and helmet.
Sadly, Hernandez is not going anywhere. While Rob Manfred could immediately make amends with both the players and fans alike by throwing Hernandez out on his incompetent ass, that is virtually impossible given the power of the Umpire’s Union. At least we can take solace in Hernandez losing lawsuits that prove his inability to function as a viable umpire is not discrimination.
But maybe the players have one card in the deck. They should expect an impartial, professionally umpired game when they take the diamond. That is clearly not the case whenever Hernandez is involved. Perhaps, if the players refuse to take the diamond at any point in time when he is scheduled, they can force the league’s hand to do something about him.
There is no reason why Hernandez should be allowed to umpire at any level. There is also no reason why the players should be forced to take the diamond when someone so grotesquely incompetent is involved. It is time the league does something, and if not, the players need to make their voices heard.
Angel Hernandez was once again the story on Sunday night. It is time that the players see if they can boycott any game he is a part of.