CC Sabathia gives Angel Hernandez the savage sendoff he deserves

Like two ships in the night, CC Sabathia and Angel Hernandez were destined to cross paths. During his umpiring career, Hernandez often set social media ablaze with some of the more crass decisions in recent MLB history. Sabathia, being an outspoken former MLB star, let Hernandez know how he really feels.

Hernandez officially announced his retirement on Monday. Like a disgraced politician finally relieving his post, baseball fans took to the streets to celebrate. Angel has long been considered one of the worst umpires in the business, yet he was allowed behind home plate for over three decades.

"There is nothing better than working at a profession that you enjoy. I treasured the camaraderie of my colleagues and the friendships I have made along the way, including our locker room attendants in all the various cities," Hernandez said in a statement. "Needless to say, there have been many positive changes in the game of baseball since I first entered the profession. This includes the expansion and promotion of minorities. I am proud that I was able to be an active participant in that goal while being a Major League umpire."

CC Sabathia and Angel Hernandez have a complicated history

Hernandez hasn't called a postseason game in over a half-decade, and for good reason. In the 2018 ALDS, Sabathia took Hernandez to task following a Game 4 loss to the Boston Red Sox.

“I do need to say this though, I don’t think Angel Hernandez should be umping playoff games,” Sabathia said at the time. “He’s absolutely terrible. He was terrible behind the plate today, he was terrible at first base. It’s amazing how he’s getting a job to umpiring in these playoff games.”

MLB listened to Sabathia, as Hernandez was rarely placed in a position of influence, specifically in the postseason, after that statement. Following Hernandez's retirement, Sabathia trolled his umpire nemesis one final time.

Hernandez was must-see TV every time he was behind home plate, but for all the wrong reasons. He was ruthlessly tracked by fans and media alike, with every borderline bad call dissected for accuracy. On a human level, that had to take its toll on Hernandez and every veteran umpire like him.

The era of accountability is here, especially in sports. Hernandez got out just in the nick of time.