"He couldn’t have been nicer" - Angel Hernandez's off-field demeanor acknowledged by MLB analyst

Angel Hernandez is one of the most controversial umpires of all time. He is routinely at the center of something with players or managers, and the exchanges are often heated and tense. That's on the field, though. Off the field, one MLB analyst says the retired umpire was quite a different person.

Andy Martino of SNY noted that it's very easy to pile on negatively on social media. That's a phenomenon Hernandez is familiar with. Rather than add to that, Martino offered a different perspective:

"It’s worth saying I ran into Angel Hernandez a few times over the years on the road, and he couldn’t have been nicer or more engaging. That’s not a comment on job performance, just a reminder that he’s a human."

Hernandez has gone viral for more than a few incidents with managers or players, mostly inciting rage in the players he umpires for. Despite that reputation, Hernandez is apparently not like that whatsoever when he's not umpiring.

---

Angel Hernandez and MLB reach settlement in retirement

The MLB didn't have an easy path to solve the Angel Hernandez problem. He was one of the most controversial and disliked umpires in the sport, but they couldn't fire him due to the union and an old lawsuit he'd taken up against the sport.

Angel Hernandez retired

So, the league approached him in the early portion of the MLB season about retiring to put this all behind everyone. And after 33 years as an umpire, Hernandez, after two weeks of negotiation with the league, decided to go ahead and walk away.

The New York Post notes that he was specifically not forced to retire and did agree on his own terms. They did not reveal the price of the settlement but reported that it was agreed to after weeks of negotiation.

Hernandez retired effective immediately, and he said in a statement that he's proud of the changes baseball has undergone since he first came along. He also cited spending time with loved ones as a reason to retire.