Houston Astros: AJ Hinch’s troubling answer about players using buzzers

In his first interview since sign-stealing scandal details were released, AJ Hinch neither confirmed or denied Houston Astros players using buzzers in 2019.

On Friday, MLB Network released an interview between Tom Verducci and former manager of the Houston Astros AJ Hinch. It is the first time Hinch has spoken publicly since MLB concluded its investigation into the sign-stealing scandal which resulted in his suspension and ultimately his job.

For the most part, the interview was as vanilla as it can get with Hinch accepting responsibility for what happened behind the scenes.

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One portion of the interview, in particular, stood out to me, however. Verducci asked Hinch to “assure us” that players weren’t using buzzers to relay stolen signs during the 2019 MLB season.

Hinch didn’t confirm the use of buzzers; he didn’t deny it either. Instead, Hich said, “we got investigated for three months and the commissioner’s office did as thorough an investigation as anyone could imagine … and I believe them.”

I believe them?

If you aren’t sure about what I’m referring to, during the time in which Jomboy Media revealed the nature by which the Astros were relaying stolen signs to hitters in real-time, it was alleged that some players used buzzers to relay stolen signs.

A video of a Robinson Chirinos at-bat during the World Series appeared to show a buzzer coming off of Chirinos’ person. Later it was dismissed as simply the bat’s authentication sticker.

Then a photo of Josh Reddick surfaced in which there appeared to be a buzzer stuck to his chest. This was later dismissed as confetti which fell from the raptors after the Astros defeated the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

Lastly, During Jose Altuve‘s walk-off home run trot in game six of the ALCS against the Yankees, Altuve adamantly refused to allow his teammates to remove his shirt in celebration. A closer look of him trotting towards home appears to show something stuck to his chest.

Soon after,  Altuve is seen running into the clubhouse to change shirts before returning to the field to celebrate with his teammates.

No explanation was given for the suspicious object under his shirt. As for not removing his shirt on the field, Altuve dismissed it by saying that he was “shy” and that his wife didn’t want him to.

For the most part, fans had accepted the commissioner’s findings and his punishments against the Houston Astros. Now, with AJ Hinch’s non-answer, the skepticism has returned.

As for me, Hinch’s response to Verducci’s question can only mean one thing: players used buzzers and didn’t get caught. For his part, Hinch would like to keep it that way.