Ex-Yankee CC Sabathia Bids a Comedic Sendoff for Universally Despised Ump Angel Hernandez

Talkin Yanks re-uploaded a video of the 6x All-Star repeatedly calling Angel Hernandez “terrible”. The video was from the 2018 American League Division Series (ALDS) between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, already heated due to the heavy rivalry. Notably, during Game 3 of the series, Hernandez had three of his calls at first base overturned upon review.

In game 4, Yankees starting pitcher CC Sabathia was the victim of Hernandez at home plate, who simply continued his poor form with forgettable strikes and ball calls.

“I do need to say this though. I don’t think Angel Hernandez should be an ump in playoff games. He’s absolutely terrible. He was terrible at the plate today, he’s terrible at first base. It’s amazing how he’s getting the job to umpire in these playoff games,” Sabathia vented. “He shouldn’t be anywhere near a playoff game. He’s bad. I don’t understand why he’s doing these games.”

CC wasn’t alone. In fact, he found support in a rival, Pedro Martinez, who weighed in during a TBS broadcast, and called Hernandez “as bad as there is.”

Fast forward six years and CC Sabathia hadn’t forgotten the disastrous 2018 outing and bid farewell to the 62-year-old with another poke. He quote-tweeted the Talkin’ Yanks video with a Looney Tunes GIF and a copy on the image that said, “That’s all Folks,” a comedic yet pointed nod to the end of Hernandez’s tenure.

At 62, Hernandez’s last game was as the home plate umpire at Guaranteed Rate Field in the Chicago White Sox’s win over the Cleveland Guardians. Hernandez’s career had been surrounded with controversy not just in the park, but even outside.

In 2017, he filed a lawsuit against MLB, alleging racial discrimination after being overlooked for prominent umpiring assignments like the World Series. Maybe he didn’t realize that he was plain bad. Naturally, that lawsuit was dismissed in 2021 when the courts found no statistically significant disparity between the promotion rates of white and minority umpires.

All said and done, in the ever-competitive world of baseball, where fans are constantly at each other’s throats, everyone found something to cheerfully talk about after Memorial Day weekend as Angel Hernandez hung up his umpiring mask at 62. He will be missed, but not for the right reasons!