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MLB in January stripped the Astros of four
draft picks and fined the team $5 million for the cheating
scheme, which unfolded during the 2017 season and involved
employees using a live game feed to attempt to decode and
transmit opposing teams' pitch sign sequences.
The Astros also fired Hinch and general manager Jeff Lunhow
after MLB suspended them for a season.
Hinch faced immediate questions regarding the Astros scandal at
a news conference announcing his hiring on Friday.
"That's part of my story. It's not the Tigers story," said Hinch.
"And I understand the question and I understand how wrong it was
and I'm sorry for that - I've said that before, I'll say it
again, I'll continue to say it."
The 46-year-old Hinch, who also previously managed the Arizona
Diamondbacks, won the World Series in charge of the Astros in
2017. Hinch later said "we may never know" whether the cheating
scheme affected the outcome of that championship.
"It was very wrong and I'll make sure that everybody knows that
I feel responsible because I was the manager and it was on my
watch and I'll never forget it," Hinch added on Saturday.
The Tigers struggled in the most recent season, which faced
numerous delays and was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
finishing last in their division with 23 wins and 35 loses.
"Our fans have high expectations for their baseball team, and
all of us with the Tigers are confident that today's
announcement is a big step towards returning to the on-field
success they deserve," Tigers Chairman and CEO Christopher
Ilitch said in a statement.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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