For better, or for worse, most baseball fans know exactly who Angel Hernandez is.

Hernandez has been an umpire in Major League Baseball since 19991, and has covered the entire league since 2000 (he covered the NL only from 1991 through 1999). He's been involved in some of the games biggest moments on the largest stages, but has also been in headlines for calls that have confused players, coaches and fans.

Regardless, Hernandez is a prominent figure in the umpiring world, and he's alleging major discrimination from Major League Baseball toward minority umpires.

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Joe Torre Named in Discrimination Suit Filed by Angel Hernandez

According to a story from CBS Sports, Major League Baseball umpire Angel Hernandez is alleging that MLB has discriminated against minority umpires, inhibiting their ability to be promoted to crew chief during their tenures in the league.

Hernandez explains that Major League Baseball executes their umpire reviews at the midway point of the season, and then again after the conclusion of the season. He claims that his midseason reviews have been accurate, and largely positive, while his postseason reviews have been very different. Because of this, when umpire crews are named for the following season, Hernandez is not promoted to a crew chief position.

All of this, according to the suit from Hernandez, is due to discrimination against minority umpires.

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Now, where does Joe Torre come into the picture, exactly? Torre is currently a special assistant to the Commissioner of Baseball, a position he has had since 2020. He previously served as chief baseball officer, a position he held since 2011. More simply put, Torre is a key figure in Major League Baseball, and the current on-field product that fans see every night.

Hernandez alleges that Torre holds a grudge against Hernandez, due to a call he made against the New York Yankees while Torre was manager of the team. His suit asserts that this grudge has played a role in his lack of opportunity in recent years, and has contributed to the discrimination he has felt.

Here's what Torre had to say about Hernandez in a particular performance review:

 Hernandez 'has not demonstrated the leadership ability and situation-management skills in critical high-pressure roles on a consistent basis.'" - CBS Sports

Based on this review, it's clear that Torre may not be a fan of Hernandez as an umpire. What remains to be seen, however, is if a pattern of discrimination by Major League Baseball is present.

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