Umpires have been in the spotlight in MLB this season as the potential idea of an automated ball-strike system continues to loom in the future.
This has caused most around the league to be extremely critical of MLB umpires this season.
Longtime MLB umpire Ángel Hernández is seen by many to be a figurehead for umpires around baseball, being heavily critiqued anytime he takes the field.
He took the field on Wednesday as a second base umpire for a game between the New York Mets and the Cincinnati Reds, and was noticed for something other than a call on the field.
Baseball players are often seen before games stretching to stay loose for the game ahead, but umpires deal with the same rigors of an MLB game and need to stay loose while doing their job.
Hernández was seen in between innings sitting on the field and stretching out in the middle of the fifth inning of Wednesday night’s game.
As the Mets and Reds switch sides in the 5th, Angel Hernandez is getting his stretches in. pic.twitter.com/FHUMALtOyS
— SNY (@SNYtv) July 7, 2022
Given Hernández’s less than stellar reputation around the MLB as an umpire, many around the MLB world took the chance to poke fun at him as a result of this viral video.
Angel Hernandez getting nice and limber to call some strikes outside the zone pic.twitter.com/UQTJrlZzZN
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) July 7, 2022
Angel Hernandez getting ready to make some terrible calls!
— Fanatics Sportsbook (@FanaticsBook) July 7, 2022
https://twitter.com/JonnyVoos_14/status/1544857474183925763
Angel Hernandez
Peak physical shape pic.twitter.com/4y7ilayEPz
— Barstool Baseball (@StoolBaseball) July 7, 2022
Hernández may be getting clowned on social media, but for a man 60 years of age, he is actually in quite good shape.
It doesn’t look like robot umpires will be coming next season, but MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told ESPN that they will likely be implemented in 2024.
Until then, the MLB world will just have to deal with Ángel Hernández and his antics on the baseball field.
[SNY]
