Game three of the 2018 ALDS featured a barrage of bad calls from first base ump Angel Hernandez. Twitter let him have it.
If you thought the New York Yankees were having the worst time on the field Monday night, think again.
The Bombers may have spent much of ALDS game three down by 10 or more runs, but that’s nothing compared to the pounding first base umpire Angel Hernandez took on social media.
Hernandez had a nightmare with close calls, forcing the umpire crew to go to replay five times in the first four innings of play. Three of those calls were overturned by the MLB Replay Command Center in New York.
Tough night for umpire Angel Hernandez. Call overturned. pic.twitter.com/KDjRkEDRsO
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 9, 2018
The shoddy umping inspired a flood of well-deserved insults on Twitter.
Yankees TV announcer Michael Kay was seemed to be highly offended by Hernandez’s “embarrassing” ineptitude.
You have got to be kidding me with Angel Hernandez. Geez. This is embarrassing.
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) October 9, 2018
Kay also made sure to let his followers know that the worst from Hernandez is possibly yet to come.
Here's something to feel good about: MLB has assigned Angel Hernandez to work home plate in what will be a do or die game for one of these teams. (Right now it looks like it will be the Yankees.)
— Michael Kay (@RealMichaelKay) October 9, 2018
MLB Network Insider Joel Sherman echoed Kay’s sentiments about Hernandez policing home plate in game four.
If any player performed like Angel Hernandez tonight he would be in jeopardy of being benched. Hernandez gets home plate in a playoff game tomorrow.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) October 9, 2018
Of course, blind jokes came into play as well.
Angel Hernandez has to be one of the worst umpires. 5 challenges tonight and it’s only the 4th inning pic.twitter.com/NM4h0AUdJk
— Baseball Bros (@BaseballBros) October 9, 2018
Zach Miller of the North Jersey Record pointed out the irony of Hernandez’s 2017 racial discrimination lawsuit against the MLB. One reason Hernandez filed the suit is his lack of postseason assignments.
The lawsuit is still pending, and Monday night is not going to help Hernandez argue his case. MLB’s lawyers are probably queuing up the highlights as courtroom evidence.
If Hernandez offers up a repeat performance in game four, fans may start clamoring for an electronic strike calling system.
This is not the first time Hernandez’s umping ability has come under fire. In 2017, then-Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler experienced a vicious run-in with the beleaguered ump over his home plate work.
Per MLB.com’s Jason Beck, Kinsler said after the confrontation, “I’m just saying it’s pretty obvious that he needs to stop ruining baseball games.”
Thanks to replay, Hernandez didn’t exactly ruin the game on Monday, but he sure did cause enough interruptions.