Adam Jones created a bit of a stir when he told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that “baseball is a white man’s sport.” That’s understandable. Race can be a hot-button issue at the best of times, and given the current climate — Colin Kaepernick, Black Lives Matter, the presidential race — these are volatile times.

Jones addressed his controversial comment with a group of reporters prior to tonight’s game at Fenway Park. The Baltimore Orioles outfielder spoke at length, and he did so thoughtfully and honestly. Here are a few excerpts:

“At the end of the day, I’m one of the most known black players in baseball. There are 58 or 59 of us…Baseball is numbers. It’s eight percent black. I didn’t make that up. In football and basketball the numbers are in the 60s and 70s. These aren’t made up numbers. It just is what it is. I’m part of the eight percent.

“If you can’t handle the truth… I backed it up with stats. We’re a numbers game right now… Everybody wants to talk analytical. I gave numbers. I gave facts. I’m still getting the anguish and hate and disgust, but at the end of the day I know I have the respect of my peers.

“Here is my biggest thing with it. Society doesn’t mind us helping out the hood and the inner cities, but they have a problem when we speak about the hood and the inner cities. I don’t understand that part.”