UMPIRE SUES MLB
A Major League Baseball umpire Monday sued Commissioner Rob
Manfred and the league alleging racial discrimination in baseball’s promotion and postseason assignment policies. Cuban-born
Angel Hernandez, 55, states in his suit that he has been passed over several times for a chance to work the World Series despite high marks on evaluations. The suit also charges that even though Hernandez was made a temporary crew chief, it has never been made permanent. The suit accuses MLB of promoting only one minority umpire to permanent crew chief in the history of the game (a Hispanic) and that only one non-white umpire has worked a World Series since 2011. There are just under 100 umpires on the MLB roster and about 10 are African American or Hispanic. “The selection of these less qualified, white individuals over Hernandez was motivated by racial, national origin and/or ethnic considerations,” the lawsuit says. The suit comes after Hernandez filed two discrimination charges in June with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The suit seeks back pay and unspecified compensatory damages. Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona missed Tuesday’s home game against the San Diego Padres because he has been admitted to the Cleveland Clinic. Francona had gone through his pregame routine at Progressive Field earlier in the day before leaving for the hospital, even swimming in the pool, Indians President Chris Antonetti told the Associated Press. The Indians manager has been in the hospital twice for a rapid heart rate and dizziness. The doctors didn’t see a major problem and fitted him with a heart monitor. Antonetti told the AP that Francona, 58, did not experience the symptoms again and that the tests were being done to determine what was causing the issue. Francona was hospitalized after a June 13 game and returned the following night. He was admitted again during a June 26 game and missed the following night’s contest. Last August, he missed a game after experiencing chest pains but was back the next day.
New York Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro might miss the All-Star Game because of a strained right hamstring. Castro went on the disabled list June 27, and New York manager
Joe Girardi said Castro wouldn’t start running hard until Thursday. Players elected Castro to a reserve spot, his fourth All-Star selection. Castro said he would attend, even if he wasn’t on the active All-Star roster.