This wasn’t just a baseball game — and another Phillies loss — it was a two-hour, 49-minute nationally televised commercial in support of those who believe the sport needs an automated batting zone.
ESPN emerged to broadcast a preseason meeting between the Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday night, and ended up with an unwanted star of the show – home plate umpire Angel Hernandez.
Throughout the night, Hernandez drew the ire of both teams for his flawed strike zone. As the game went on and remained tight and scoreless after eight innings, it was only a matter of time before someone got Vulcan and by the end of the ninth it did.
With an out in a one-run game, Hernandez called out to Kyle Schwarber on a full-count pitch that had everything from the eyeball to the electronic data off the record. Schwarber had been bullied three innings earlier by Hernandez’s interpretation of the strike zone. This time he went ballistic, goading his bat and helmet, raging at Hernandez and earning a throw.
The Phillies ended up losing 1-0 on a run at the top of ninth place. They wasted a jewel by Aaron Nola in the process. The Phils have lost four straight series since winning two of three to open the season against Oakland. They are 6-10, have been shut out twice and held to a run three times.
The Phils have plenty of reasons to be frustrated, and Hernandez gave them another one.
“It has to be better, right, it just does,” said manager Joe Girardi shortly after the last end. “I know he’s trying, but…”
There were 26 strikeouts in the game — nine by Nola, a career-high 13 by Milwaukee lefty Eric Lauer. Five of the strikeouts were designated third strikes by Hernandez. According to Statcast, all five strikeout pitches were off the record.
According to the data, Hernandez has called a total of 10 strikes against Phillies hitters who were out of the zone. He called a total of seven strikes against Milwaukee hitters who were out of the zone.
Schwarber was remarkably composed while speaking to reporters in his locker shortly after the explosion at Hernandez in the ninth inning.
“That’s a big stain there,” he said. “You go up against a really good closer (Josh Hader) and you get a pitch that you don’t think is there. You can stand on first base at one point in the ninth inning. That’s why I left. … I mean, everyone sort of saw what was going on. I’m not here to bury anyone, but it wasn’t very good. I don’t know how to really say it. It just wasn’t very good. The guys did a really good job tonight by not saying much. It just made me stand up for some other guys.
One of Hernandez’s worst mistakes of the night came with an out in the fifth inning. The Phillies had loaded the bases in a scoreless game, with leadoff man Jean Segura emerging.
Hernandez put Segura in a hole when announcing a strike on a pitch several inches inside. Segura, not happy with the call, showed up two pitches later. Rhys Hoskins then struck to end the threat. He also didn’t like one of Hernandez’s calls.
“It’s all inside,” Girardi told Segura of the first pitch. “That makes it really difficult. Because then the guys will vibrate at pitches they normally wouldn’t because they called them strikes. But it makes it really difficult.
“And it’s on both sides. Twenty-six strikeouts, 54 outs. You know. It’s hard.”
Hernandez’s poor performance was certainly observed in prime time by Major League Baseball officials who have been experimenting with the use of an automated hitting zone at the minor league level.
Girardi is for it.
“Well, I wouldn’t mind. I wouldn’t,” he said. “I’ve always thought umpires should be behind the pitcher. I think you are much better and better protected there. (When they’re behind the plate) they have to move a little to the side because they can’t have 20 concussions, it’s their livelihood too, and I understand why they do it.
“It’s not an easy job. It’s not. That’s why I’m kind of in favor of the automated strike zone. It takes some of that off them.”
Schwarber does not favor an automated hitting zone. Even after a night like Sunday, when he was called twice on off-plate seats, lost his temper and lost the game…
“I am for referees. I’m not against them. I’m for referees,” he said. “I don’t want the electronic strike zone. I like the element that sometimes playing fields are not called. Guys don’t take it well or whatever it is. It’s an enjoyable part of the game. But when you have things called off the pitch with really good pitching on their side, it can be harder to score. You saw on both sides that it was a more difficult game to score.
Schwarber was asked if he thought the umpire cost the Phillies the game.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It would have. It would have.”