UEFL Awards: Noteworthy Umps: A Hernandez, C Guccione

2012 UEFL Awards: Noteworthy Umpires: Angel Hernandez, Chris Guccione (55, 68)
Voting Results (min. 10%): Hernandez 15%, Guccione 12%, Jim Joyce 11%, Dan Bellino 10%, Wally Bell 10%.

Angel Hernandez and Chris Guccione are the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League's 2012 noteworthy umpires.

Umpire Angel Hernandez

In his 20th MLB season, Angel Hernandez concluded 2012 with zero ejections following a four ejection season in 2011 during which he moved from Joe West's crew; Hernandez's 2012 crew featured the injured Ed Rapuano. Hernandez notably called a balk on Astros pitcher Armando Galarraga during an August 9 game and correctly enforced the balk over the resultant sacrifice fly, while Angel's "Hernandez Hustle" as the right field umpire during Game 3 of the Orioles-Yankees ALDS was praised by several commenters.

Umpire Chris Guccione

In his 6th season of MLB service (11th overall, 4th on the full-time roster), Chris Guccione finished 2012 with zero ejections following a three ejection season in 2011. Involved in the comedic, replay-aided home run recreation game on September 30, it was Guccione's vacation fill-in, Angel Campos, whose ejection of Dodgers Matt Kemp and Joe Blanton on August 16 coincided with chief Tim Tschida's ejection of manager Don Mattingly; Mattingly was suspended two games for his extended argument (Ejections 123, 124, 125). In September, Guccione was selected to his third consecutive postseason and his first Championship Series, the 2012 NLCS. Guccione also appeared in right field during the inaugural AL Wild Card Game.


A back-to-back winner, Guccione received the UEFL's Noteworthy Umpire of the Year Award in 2011.

Angel Hernandez now has 5 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (2 Previous + 3 Award = 5).
Chris Guccione now has 7 points in the Umpire Ejection Fantasy League (4 Previous + 3 Award = 7).

The next postseason award, Ejections of the Year, will be released tomorrow.