Photo: Matt Slocum, Associated Press

So, A.J. Hinch speaks.

The former Astros manager issued a statement after he was fired for doing absolutely nothing when his players came up with a sign-stealing operation, but we all knew eventually the time would come for him to share his real thoughts on the situation.

That will come tonight on MLB Network, in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci.

I do hope Hinch come across better in the full interview than he does in the clip released Thursday night.

What a ridiculous approach Hinch has decided to take to this. No wonder Jim Crane fired him.

I thought Hinch’s suspension and subsequent firing was an overreaction to what transpired. Now I am less certain of that.

Hinch’s reply to the question of whether the Astros’ 2017 World Series championship is tainted is the second-worst answer possible.

“That’s a fair question,” Hinch said. “And I think everyone’s gonna have to draw their own conclusion.”

What?

I mean, of course it’s a fair question, and everyone will draw their own conclusion, but I expected the manager of the Astros’ first World Series champion to emphatically deny that the title was tainted.

There are three sides to this:

1. The Astros’ World Series title is tainted.

2. The Astros’ World Series title isn’t tainted.

3. I’m not sure if the Astros’ World Series title is tainted, but that’s a fair question.

Hinch was there every day, and he saw the hard work put in by the talented team that resulted in a championship. That grind should never be dismissed.

He knows how good of a team he had. He knows firsthand that the collection of talent in that clubhouse deserved to win that World Series.

Spare me the thought that he is being reasonable to baseball fans who believe the Astros stole a title. That’s the wrong side for Hinch to be on.

He isn’t being reasonable as far as his players, the Astros organization and the city of Houston’s baseball fans are concerned.

Hinch knows darn well that the Astros didn’t win the World Series because they stole signs and banged trash cans.

If Hinch is in any way unsure if the World Series victory is tainted, his inaction at the time he learned of the sign-stealing is particularly pathetic.

I already thought Hinch was weak in not putting a stop to it the sign-stealing. The commissioner’s report says that he destroyed the monitor that was used a couple times, but never told his players to knock it off.

I concluded he didn’t shut it down because he didn’t think it was egregious. Turns out it was a passive-aggressive ploy.

That is even worse in retrospect, now that he is leaving open the door that the World Series was tainted.

“I hope over time it is proven that it wasn’t,” Hinch said.

You hope? Give me a break. If you’re even entertaining the thought that the championship might be tainted, why didn’t you do something about the sign-stealing?

Perhaps this is step one for Hinch to work his way into a manager’s job when his suspension is over at the end of this season. It is unnecessary. He is going to be hired again, because he is very good at his job.

Theoretically, he will be even better now.

Contrary to the 2020 social media standard, I can disagree vehemently with someone and still acknowledge their greatness. (See: Hank Aaron’s comments on the sign-stealing.) So Hinch’s mealy mouthed response doesn’t change my opinion that he is the best manager in (or out of) baseball.

Clearly, he wasn’t as good of a manager as I thought he was.