Joe Maddon didn’t help matters when he used misdirection, wondering whether Ty Cobb was a good guy, mentioning the Black Sox scandal and tossing out the tired offering of how we’ve all made mistakes.

Said Maddon, “I think we’ve all been less than perfect in particular moments that nobody’s ever known about.”

Actually, I don’t know anyone who’s choked a woman and then fired a gun while angry, so minimizing his actions as if he got drunk in college and threw up on his shoes doesn’t feel quite right.

Those who analyze the team used phrases like, “Get past the story,” “Move past all the noise,” “Things that happened to him this winter,” and “Get back to what’s most important. It’s between the lines.”

Noise? Things that happened to him? What’s most important?

According to U.S. Department of Justice statistics, more than 8,000 women are physically abused every day.

On average, more than three women are killed every day in a domestic attack.

Homicide is the leading cause of death for pregnant women.

A national survey of more than 6,000 American families found that 50 percent of men who repeatedly assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.

It takes an average of 35 hits for a victim to get out, and women attempting to leave an abusive relationship are killed at a rate that some advocates believe is as high as 50 percent.

Noise? Try getting hit 35 times and then being homeless with your children.

Maddon says he will judge Chapman for himself and make his own decision about his new closer. Everyone is entitled to decide how they will judge Chapman and whether they will root for him when he pitches.

Judging by the 41,000 who gave Chapman a standing ovation simply for walking in from the bullpen Wednesday night, Cubs fans will certainly embrace him as long as he throws 100 mph and gets the job done.

This is usually how it works in sports. Fans are able to compartmentalize. Some don’t care. Those who are disgusted by him will cheer for the uniform and hope this is really the year for the North Siders.

Sports are always about winning. The “noise,” inevitably, is drown out by cheers.

brozner@dailyherald.com

• Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score’s “Hit and Run” show at WSCR 670-AM and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.