The most controversial ruling in baseball is calling it a career. Angel Hernandez, who has been the subject of much criticism in the game for decades, will retire.
MLB first approached Hernandez about the possibility of retirement earlier this season, according to a baseball source. The criticism was getting louder, and Hernandez was ready to move on. He has not played a match since May 9, when the two sides reached a financial agreement.
“He was not forced out,” Hernandez’s attorney, Kevin Murphy, said. The athlete Via text message. He is expected to leave immediately.
Hernandez played his first MLB game in 1991. Over the past decade, he has been a constant source of controversy. From his large, inconsistent hitting zone, to his quick ejection, to unsuccessfully suing MLB for discrimination in 2017, he has made headlines in a profession where most people would rather not be noticed.
USA Today He first reported his retirement. Shortly after the news broke Monday night, MLB released a statement from Hernandez confirming his retirement.
“Starting with my first MLB game in 1991, I have had a very good experience fulfilling my childhood dream of umpiring in the major leagues,” the statement read. “There’s nothing better than working in a career you enjoy. I’ve appreciated the camaraderie among my teammates and the friendships I’ve made along the way, including locker room attendants in all the different cities. I decided I wanted to spend more time with my family. Rich About saying that there have been many positive changes in baseball since I first started the profession and that includes expanding and promoting minorities. I am proud that I was able to be an active participant in this goal while I was a major league umpire.
Other than what Hernandez indicated in his statement, it is not clear what led to Hernandez’s decision, although it is possible that the vitriol directed his way played a role.
“What hurts him the most,” Murphy said. The athlete In a recent profile, “it is the pain his two daughters and his wife go through when they learn that (the criticism) is completely undeserved.”
Part of the reason the league is so close to Hernandez is the constant distraction he has caused. Players across the game have long called for Hernandez to leave the industry.
“Every year. It’s the same story,” Bryce Harper said last season. “Same thing.”
“He needs to find another job,” Ian Kinsler said in 2017.
“I don’t understand why he makes these games,” CC Sabathia said in 2018.
Even MLB has been critical of Hernandez, though that criticism has largely come through court filings. They stated that his decision-making and conflict-handling prevented him from being promoted to full-time crew chief.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred alluded to the retirement process for umpires while speaking to reporters at MLB owners meetings last week, though he did not mention Hernandez directly.
“Officiating the referees…is a physically demanding task,” Manfred said. “It’s more than just assessment, training and discipline. It’s also about things like thinking about their career path, how long should they be there? This includes things like your retirement plan.”
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(Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)