Orioles icon makes feelings known on Gunnar Henderson strike call controversy, claims it won't happen to Aaron Judge in NY

In the series finale between the Washington Nationals and the Baltimore Orioles, shortstop Gunnar Henderson was called out on strikes in what many believe should be a ball and not a strikeout.

The breaking ball was down, but Henderson went for it before tracing it back on time. However, instead of asking third base if it was a check swing or not, home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor decided that the Orioles star was struck out. Henderson, of course, wasn't pleased, which has spiraled into a controversy.

In Saturday's episode of Ryan Ripken, former Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts made his feelings known, comparing the situation if New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge were in place of Henderson.

"I think I made the point last night: look, people pay a lot of money to come to these games, you know, and who do they come to watch? They come to watch the superstars, mostly," Roberts said (19:00 onwards).

"Could you imagine, in New York, if CB Buckner makes that call on Aaron Judge? Right? And Gunnar Henderson is a superstar — you don't make that call in that situation. You just don't."

C.B. Bucknor's call in the fifth inning turned out to be costly for the Orioles on Wednesday night as they went on to lose 4-3. With one man on and one out, had Henderson connected for a hit, it could have been a different story.

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Gunnar Henderson, C.B. Bucknor go back with bad calls

It wasn't the first time Orioles star Gunnar Henderson had to suffer because of a bad call by home plate umpire C.B.Bucknor.

Last year in May, during the Orioles' 4-2 win over the New York Yankees, Henderson was called out on strikes in the first inning after a 0-2 pitch from Nestor Cortes Jr. was seemingly low and out of the strike zone.

That led Orioles broadcaster Jim Palmer to call out the home plate umpire for his terrible call.

"You kinda wonder how bad he's gonna be and he's shown us already in the first inning," Palmer said. "All you want is a guy that understands the strike zone.

"He shouldn't be umpiring and he is, and they know it," Palmer said. "He's been around a long time, it doesn't mean you—it's kinda like pitching. When I couldn't get people out, I became a broadcaster."

Bad calls are always detrimental to the scorecard, so Henderson will hope that he doesn't get on the receiving end again.