If there’s one thing the entire baseball world can agree on beyond a shadow of a doubt, it’s that Angel Hernandez is the worst umpire of all-time.
And it’s not close.
Hernandez was on full display this week as he made his season debut behind the plate. It took him no time to immediately torpedo the Brewers-National game with his horrific ball/strike calls.
The game quickly turned into a battleground of frustration as Nationals color commentator Kevin Frandsen voiced his criticism in a fiery manner.
After Hernandez’s questionable call went against Nationals starter Mackenzie Gore, Frandsen didn’t mince his words, saying, “You cannot miss this bad.” To add insult to injury, the very next pitch resulted in a home run for the Brewers, further igniting the heated commentary from the booth.
“You know what the difference between 1-2 and 2-1 is?” Frandsen said in exasperation. “Well, let’s try about 200 points on the average and over 340 on the slugging percentage. Literally with a horrendous call by Angel Hernandez.”
In Umpire Angel Hernandez's first game behind the plate since an April injury, he struggled to find the bottom of the zone.
The Nationals announcers were VERY vocal about what they thought of Angel.
Especially after a missed ball led to a hitter's count and a HR. pic.twitter.com/IVCLgOmT28
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) August 3, 2023
Frandsen’s outburst against Hernandez didn’t come as a surprise, as the veteran umpire has long been the target of criticism from players, coaches, and fans alike.
Known for his inconsistent calls and controversial decisions, Hernandez has long been the most vilified umpire in all of baseball.
Earlier in the week, even before stepping behind the plate, Hernandez demonstrated that his decisions could have a negative impact on the game. He was stationed at second base when he missed a clear tag out by Nationals Alex Call, mistakenly ruling him safe on a steal attempt.
The erroneous call forced the Brewers to challenge the decision and resulted in frustration among the players and coaching staff.
Hernandez’s absence from the field due to a back injury since April 3rd didn’t dampen the emotions surrounding his return.
Pitchers, catchers, and managers across the league have voiced concerns about his horrific performance in the past. That seems like a trend that will surely continue.
Ángel Hernández's balls and strikes today in his first game behind the plate in an MLB game in almost 10 months 👇 pic.twitter.com/SWjssVDBpl
— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) August 2, 2023
How the hell is this man still employed???