Angel Hernandez is back for the NLDS and Padres and Dodgers fans should be terrified
Angel Hernandez could have an impact on the NLDS between the Padres and Dodgers.
The 2020 MLB postseason continues Monday as the ALDS gets underway from neutral sites in California. The NLDS starts Tuesday from Texas.
Something as simple as the umpiring crew announcement shouldn’t raise too much alarm. But fans now get to circle the series that has infamous umpire Angel Hernandez on the crew. That will be the NLDS between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
The umpire crews for the Division Series pic.twitter.com/d7RSPdmrVU
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) October 5, 2020
Padres vs, Dodgers and Angel Hernandez
Hernandez has a reputation for making terrible calls behind the plate. His reputation is an open secret and MLB keeping him around continues to baffle baseball fans. The long-time umpire did have a racial discrimination suit against the league so this situation is more complex than just missed balls and strikes.
There is a push among some fans for robotic umpires and Hernandez doesn’t help the case of keeping him and his co-workers around. A simple Twitter search brings up countless examples of Hernandez blowing calls behind the plate. And that is before considering what he does while umpiring in the field.
One extra strike in any at-bat could change the course of a game or an entire series. Some accountability for missed calls through the years would be nice, but Hernandez continuing to get playoff work shows MLB essentially doesn’t care. He is a veteran and will get the top gigs even if players and managers cringe when he is behind the plate.
Next. Dodgers announce starters for first two games of NLDS. dark
The series between the Dodgers and Padres begins Tuesday at 9:38 p.m. ET. Hernandez opens the series at first base and fans of both teams will be hoping a key mistake doesn’t go against their respective team. That is all before the umpire gets behind the plate. Then true mayhem can be expected.