Rick Porcello and CC Sabathia differed in their opinions of Angel Hernandez
"You gotta put the ball over the white part of the plate and then you get the strikes called."
Embattled umpire Angel Hernandez has at least one supporter in his corner. Red Sox starter Rick Porcello defended Hernandez Tuesday night after Porcello’s New York counterpart, C.C. Sabathia, said he was “terrible behind the plate” during the Yankees’ season-ending defeat.
Sabathia, who left Game 4 after giving up three runs in three innings, told reporters postgame that Hernandez is a “bad umpire” who “shouldn’t be anywhere near these playoff games.”
The lefthander noted he wasn’t the only one who felt that way.
“Ask the Red Sox,” he said.
Rick Porcello wasn’t having this. He said: “Throw the ball over the plate C.C. I thought Angel Hernandez called a good game. You gotta out the ball over the white part of the plate and then you get the strikes called.” https://t.co/uF4yORR3cO
— James Wagner (@ByJamesWagner) October 10, 2018
Perhaps the fact that Porcello turned in a five-inning, one-run performance contributed to his warm feelings about the umpire. Instead of piling on the criticism, he offered some advice to Sabathia.
“Throw the ball over the plate C.C.,” Porcello said. “I thought Angel Hernandez called a good game. You gotta put the ball over the white part of the plate and then you get the strikes called.”
Porcello’s compliment will surely be music to Hernandez’s ears after a tough series for the veteran umpire. Five of his calls at first and second base went to replay review, where four were overturned.
