At Yankee Stadium, on Sunday, tempers flared. Manager Aaron Boone erupted when a veteran umpire Angel Hernandez made a controversial call. The incident caught fans and players off guard. Bewildered in fact. But guess what? The season is only a couple of weeks old and Angel is in the thick of controversy already. This drama in particular started in the bottom of the first inning. 

Gleyber Torres was at bat. Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Bowden Francis seemed to walk off the rubber before his delivery. Torres, who was caught off guard, took a step back from the plate. But Hernandez, appearing unfazed by the obvious balk, declared a strike three on a pitch that was also many inches away from the strike zone. When this happened, a fuming Boone, stepped up to seek an explanation. What happened as a result of that is something that makes one doubt the capacity of human umpires in MLB. 

How One Controversial Call Enraged the Entire New York Yankees

Before the New York Yankees skipper did what he did, Torres immediately confronted Hernandez. Boone too then wasted no time charging out of the dugout. A heated back-and-forth began and eventually, all four umpires huddled for a quick discussion. Though the Yankees pleaded against the call, the decision remained unchanged. With that came a chorus of boos from the Yankees faithful. 

But here’s the thing, Boone wasn’t done. After the inning, he made a beeline back to Hernandez, seeking clarity and an explanation for his decision. Judging by his body language, the 51-year-old Boone, still appeared unconvinced by Hernandez’s response.

Well, this isn’t new for Hernandez. So much so that, earlier this week, he made a head-scratching call against the Detroit Tigers. He ruled a swing on a pitch that looked like it missed Spencer Torkelson entirely. With that came some more eye rolls. But this time, Yankee fans being Yankees fans, greeted Hernandez with boos; thanks to his reputation.

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Fans Take To Social Media For Some Brutal Criticism

The incident rekindles the debate about umpire accuracy. Will there be a potential for an automated strike zone? Well, the fans had some weighty statements to make about this incident. 

One fan called him “bad for baseball”. 

Some fans made a neutral statement. 

Supporting the majority, one fan said that Angel should stay away from baseball games. 

One among the others questioned his employment. 

Another fan called him the “worst”.

Well, this is a subject that is far from any resolution. While there is ready technology, many fans and analysts wonder why MLB continues to rely on human judgment solely for such crucial calls. 

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Sunday’s debacle is a stark reminder of the inaccuracies of the sport despite its mature nature. Unless the league comes up with a solution, outbursts from managers like Boone will likely continue. One can only hope that frustrations and questionable calls don’t hamper the season.