Angel Hernandez (umpire)

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Angel Hernandez

Ángel Hernández (born August 26, 1961 in Havana, Cuba) is an umpire in Major League Baseball who has worked in the National League from 1991 to 1999, and throughout both major leagues since 2000. He has umpired in the World Series in 2002 and 2005, as well as the 1999 All-Star Game. He has officiated in 4 League Championship Series – 2 in each league (2000, 2001, 2003, 2004), and in 4 National League Division Series (1997, 1998, 2002, 2005). Hernández wears the uniform number 55.^[1]

Hernández has been involved in a number of high-profile incidents with players and even fans. On August 7, 2001, he ejected a guest singer of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" at Wrigley Field. The ejectee was former Chicago Bears player Steve McMichael, who had taken a shot at Hernandez' umpiring after being introduced as the guest singer.^[2]

On July 17, 2006, Hernández ejected Dodgers' first base coach Mariano Duncan while umpiring third base. When Duncan came out of the dugout to argue the ejection, he tossed his cap onto the ground in anger. Immediately after his peers brought Duncan back into the dugout, Hernández picked up the cap and tossed it to a fan in the stands.^[3] The next day Duncan taped his cap onto his head right before delivering the Dodgers' lineup to the umpires.^[4]

Hernández has had multiple confrontations with Boston Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo. In April 2007, Lugo attempted to call timeout and stepped out of the batter's box just as the pitcher went into his windup, and Hernández called the resulting pitch a strike. This began an argument between Lugo and Hernández, but did not result in any ejection. On May 27, 2008, Lugo was among multiple Red Sox who asked for a check swing ruling from Hernández, umpiring at third base. Hernández stared at Lugo, Lugo asked why he was looking at him, and Hernández abruptly ejected Lugo from the game. When Boston manager Terry Francona asked why Lugo was thrown out, Hernández ejected him as well. ^[5]

In a 1999 survey conducted by the Major League Baseball Players Association, Hernández was ranked 31st out of 36 National League umpires.^[6] However, later that year Hernández was asked to return for the 2000 season while 13 of his NL colleagues were let go. Given his low ranking, the Philadelphia Inquirer termed the retention of Hernández one of the "surprises" of the 1999 purge.^[7]