Bottom of the eighth, first two pitches to the first batter.

Just a guess, but he probably was verifying lineup changes from between innings, and was checking the batting order.

Not a big deal. You minimized it when Tuss brought it up, I just brought the perspective that it was an unneeded distraction and unprofessional.

If you think holding the card in hand and looking at it between pitches is helpful and a good way to manage the game then say so.

didnt say that butim not going to crucifya guy in public for lookin at a lineup card twice for a totalof prolly 10 secs in the coarse of a 3 hr ballgame. sorry get yourraw meat somewhere else.

Pointing out unusual behavior that is improper is neither crucifying or carniverous.
Is Angel your little brother or what?

(Edited to help SDS understand toungue in cheek comment)


Because Larry Hernandez's I mean Johnson's comments were so intense regarding my mild aversion to Angel's lineup card infatuation,
I asked a toungue in cheek question to point out that his response may have bordered on overkill.

Johnson...Hernandez...hmmmm. I'm guessing not.

Reviewed the game on MLB and Hernandez did have the line-up card in his hand on the first two pitches of the bottom of the 8th, using the time between pitches to mark changes.

Why this is a big deal is beyond me.

Yes, beyond me as well. Thank you for the explanation.

It's not a BIG deal.

It is

1. A method of game administration that no one teaches or endorses
2. A method of game administration that any evaluator would make a critical comment on.
3. A method of game administration that takes the concentration and focus away from the task at hand.
4. An oddity worth noting. I personally have never seen any umpire at any level do their paperwork between pitches and during live ball action.

Whether or not Angels actions in this case adversely affected the game is not the issue, he should have spent the extra 10 or 15 seconds before the inning started, finnished his between inning responsibilities and move on.

This isn't questioning one of the god's of umpiring judgement calls. It's game Ad. 101

Is there anyone on the forum that does their paperwork during live ball action?

We all like quick games.
 

Perhaps Mr. Hernandez didn't want to have the first 15 seconds of the inning having thousands of folks in the stands and the television audience waiting for him to do his paperwork.

Is there anyone on this forum who routinely has the timing of his actions and his subsequent evaluations influenced by billion-dollar television contracts?

If it helps any, he did it again in the 9th inning.

I understand that he had to make changes, but a pitching change? Do it between innings? A different batter was coming up? Change it after the batter. To hold a card while calling pitches, very strange.

What if he had to use a check swing or foul tip mechanic?

It's not THAT big of a deal, but its noteworthy as just another thing an MLB ump does (non mechanic wise) that we shouldn't be doing.

I see it is a big deal for you.

Angel Hernandez's accomplishments as a professional umpire are a matter of record.

Please let us know when you get your World Series assignment.

And I confess to having fiddled with lineup cards several times during live ball action.

I feel better knowing that the best of the best do it, too.

I thought that the new system rotates all MLB umps through the playoffs. Not a merit-based assignment any longer.

Post season assignments in MLB are based on performance during the year.