Keith Hernandez became upset out of nowhere on the Mets broadcast Tuesday night.
In the sixth inning of the Mets’ 16-12 loss to the Royals, Hernandez and SNY play-by-play man Gary Cohen discussed names being passed down from generation to generation, where Hernandez lamented the fact that his family lineage is ending.
Essentially, there won’t be any more Hernandezes, whether it’s on a baseball field or in a broadcast booth.
“My two (kids) are in their 40s, they’re not going to have kids,” Hernandez said on the broadcast.
“I won’t go into one of them. That’s not gonna happen. So, the (family) line is burnt. It’s burnt. It just burned down.”
Hernandez explained that while he has two grandchildren from his adopted daughter, Jessie, his two biological daughters — Melissa and Mary — never had kids and probably never will.
He said his brother, Gary, also has two kids who likely won’t have children to continue the family line.
“There’s no passing down. We’re done. My brother and I are done, we’re done,” Hernandez said.
When Cohen brought up that Hernandez and his brother’s athletic gifts will have fizzled out, Hernandez replied, “It just seems like a terrible waste.”
Since 2006, Hernandez has served as an analyst on SNY, winning three Emmys over the last 20 years.
He’s formed a dynamic trio with Ron Darling and Cohen, endearing themselves to Mets fans with their humor and charisma.
Before his broadcasting career, Hernandez played in the MLB for 17 years, spending time between the Mets, Cardinals and Indians.
He was a five-time All-Star, won two World Series and earned NL MVP honors in 1979.
While his brother Gary didn’t play in the MLB, they still built a strong connection through baseball, as he played in college at Cal and spent four seasons in the minor leagues.
Hernandez is working for the Mets amid a nightmare 38-54 season, and even if the Mets improve in the coming years, there may not be any more Hernandezes around to witness it.
