Everyone’s got a favourite Angel Hernandez call … err, blunder.
Hernandez, MLB’s most disliked umpire, announced his retirement Monday, and the news was met with universal celebration across the baseball world.
Families reunited. People danced within the streets. Folks called out of labor to rejoice.
OK, perhaps that’s all an exaggeration, but you possibly can ensure they took to social media to recollect their favorite palm-to-the-face moments from Hernandez’s 33 years of blown calls.
Consider it because the reverse “One Shining Moment.”
Crossing Broad, a Philadelphia sports blog, posted a clip of one among Hernandez’s most infamous screw-ups, his comically large strike zone during a Phillies-Brewers game in 2022.
Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber eviscerated Hernandez for his awful zone all game long after being rung up on a pitch off the plate within the ninth inning.
“Angel Hernandez is retiring,” the account posted. “Always remember when Kyle Schwarber ripped him to shreds after a blown strike call.”
The @BaseballQuotes1 X account posted an anti-highlight reel of Hernandez, 62, just whiffing on balls and strikes throughout the years, dumbfounding announcers along the way in which.
Hernandez had some notable entries from this season, even with a limited sample size.
One account highlighted Hernandez ruling Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson swung at a pitch against the Mets during an early April game when he clearly didn’t.
The @FiresideYankees account featured Hernandez’s horrendous ruling during an early Yankees-Blue Jays game when Toronto’s Bowden Francis clearly stepped off after which missed the zone with a 3-2 pitch, yet Hernandez still called out Gleyber Torres on the pitch, much to Torres’ dismay.
Taking the cake was Hernandez striking out Rangers rookie Wyatt Langford earlier this yr on a pitch against the Astros that was to date off the plate that it could as well have landed in San Antonio.
“In honour of Ángel Hernández’s retirement, here is his worst call of the season,” tweeted @TJStats. “A strike 3 call against Wyatt Langford, 8″ outside.”
Some focused on funny clips of announcers just roasting Hernandez for his terribleness.
The @just_mets posted a clip of Gary Cohen and Ron Darling shredding Hernandez for a call that went the Mets’ way during a game against the Marlins in 2021.
“It’s not an official game until Angel plays a giant part in it,” Darling said.
Cohen followed: “Angel, devil, that’s a tough one to call.”
Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina posted a clip of legendary former White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson reacting to an epic Hernandez error during a game against the Marlins with the caption: “Always remember that Angel Hernandez once rattling near gave Hawk Harrelson a stroke.”
The clip showed a White Sox player hitting a slow grounder to short with the bases loaded within the tenth inning of game, and Harrelson screamed, “Can’t get him,” referring to the batter likely beating the throw to first win the sport, before Hernandez incorrectly called the runner out at first to finish the threat.
Harrelson followed with: “Oh no! No! No! No! … He’s secure and one other blown call by Hernandez.”
All of the missed calls made for a fun trip down memory lane — even when these calls may not have been really easy to laugh at within the moment.
