MLB umpire Angel Hernandez on Monday sued Commissioner Rob Manfred and the league "alleging racial discrimination in baseball's promotion and post-season assignment policies," according to James Pilcher of the CINCINNATI ENQUIRER. The Cuban-born Hernandez 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 '11. The suit "comes after Hernandez filed two discrimination charges in June with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission." Hernandez has been an umpire since '93. Pilcher noted the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, "seeks back pay and unspecified compensatory damages." MLB VP/Communications John Blundell said that the league is "aware of the suit, but declined to further comment" (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 7/4). The AP noted Hernandez alleges MLB Chief Baseball Officer Joe Torre "has a history of animosity towards Hernandez stemming from Torre's time" as Yankees manager (AP, 7/3).
