Late last month, Angel Hernandez decided to retire after more than 30 years of refereeing.
The 62-year-old suddenly retired on Monday night after accepting a financial settlement, bringing an end to his career.
Hernandez had a reputation as one of the worst umpires in baseball, maybe even the worst.
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Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez officiates a game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York City, on August 6, 2023. (Jim MacIsaac/Getty Images)
As talk of replay and automatic strike zones became more prominent, Hernandez came under greater scrutiny, which ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan said contributed to his early retirement.
“It makes you wonder what your responsibility is, what your role is,” Passan told “The Rich Eisen Show,” “because I think we take for granted what social media actually does and how it brings out the worst in a lot of us.”
“And, frankly, I think the easiest way to do this, and the easiest standard for all of us to follow, is, ‘Would I say that to that guy’s face? Social media Regarding Angel Hernandez, if you confronted him, would you say it to his face? Would you call him by the same name you call him online? Would you tell him how awful he is?
New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine (left) argues with umpire Angel Hernandez over a questionable call during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Pac Bell Park in San Francisco on May 12, 2001. (Jeff Gross/All Sports)
“Frankly, a lot of that is what caused him to leave. He was tired of it. He was tired of the abuse on social media.”
Passan said Hernandez had done a “really bad job” but noted that “that was exaggerated by baseball’s increasing presence on social media.”
“Every time he did something bad it was made public and it got worse and worse. … The awfulness of Angel Hernandez reverberated and I think that ultimately contributed to his downfall,” Passan added.
Hernandez announced his retirement, saying he wanted to “spend more time with his family.”
“Since attending my first major league game in 1991, I have had the incredible experience of fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a major league umpire,” Hernandez said in a statement. “There’s nothing better than doing a profession you love, and I’ve cherished the friendships I’ve made along the way, including with my coworkers and locker room attendants in various cities.”
“I decided I wanted to spend more time with my family. Needless to say, there have been many positive changes in baseball since I took the job, including the expansion and advancement of minorities, and I am proud to be an active part of that goal as a major league umpire.”
MLB umpire Angel Hernandez makes a gesture during a game between the Minnesota Twins and the Kansas City Royals at Target Field in Minneapolis on June 15, 2019. (Brace Hemelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images)
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Hernandez once He blamed the league. The lawsuit alleges he “manipulated the performance of Mr. Hernandez and other minority umpires” to prevent more minority umpires from becoming crew chiefs.
In March 2021, Hernandez lost a lawsuit against Major League Baseball for racial discrimination. In the lawsuit, filed in 2017, Hernandez claimed he was discriminated against because he had not been assigned to a World Series since 2005 and had not been named crew chief.
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