Matt Stairs
Encyclopedia
Matthew Wade Stairs is a former Canadian
professional Major League
baseball
outfielder
, first baseman
, designated hitter
, and pinch hitter
. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel
, Mike Morgan
and Ron Villone
. He also holds the career major league record for most pinch-hit home runs, with 23.
He was the second Canadian-born player to ever hit more than thirty-five home runs in a season and only the second to hit more than 25 home runs and drive in more than 100 runs in back-to-back seasons. He ranks either first or second in power hitting categories for Canadian major leaguers. , Stairs had hit 23 pinch-hit home runs, a MLB record. His ability to pinch hit has made him a valuable asset to several teams and earned him the nickname "Matt Stairs - Professional Hitter". Stairs, Larry Walker
and Jason Bay
are the only Canadian MLB players to hit at least 200 career home runs.
. After playing Bantam & Midget baseball, at age 16 and 17, he played for the local Marysville Royals of the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League
and was voted "Rookie of The Year" in 1984 and the league's Most Valuable Player
in 1985. He was also named Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League
MVP in 1987 and '88 while playing for the Fredericton Schooners.
He attended the National Baseball Institute (NBI) in Vancouver, British Columbia for one year and played for Canada at the 1987 World Amateur Championships in Italy where he was named to the "World All-Star" team. In 1988, he joined the Canadian Junior National team after graduating from Fredericton High School
. From there he went on to play for the Canadian Olympic Team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul
, South Korea.
. Stairs was then assigned to low single-A Jamestown Expos
where he played second and third base. While playing Double-A ball in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
for the Harrisburg Senators where he led the league in hitting and was voted the Eastern League
's 1991 Most Valuable Player. In 1992 and 1993, he moved up to Triple-A (Indianapolis
and Ottawa
, respectively), with only brief appearances in the majors. Over his career, Stairs has played for six other minor league teams: The Indianapolis Indians
(Triple-A) in 1992, the Ottawa Lynx
(Triple-A) in 1993, the New Britain Red Sox (Double-A) in 1994, the Pawtucket Red Sox
(Triple-A) in 1995, the Edmonton Trappers
(Triple-A) in 1996 and a few rehab games for the Nashville Sounds
(Triple-A) in 2003. His totals in the minors include a .291 batting average
with 46 home run
s and 237 RBI
.
On June 8, 1993, Stairs's contract was purchased by the Chunichi Dragons
of the NPB.
career in 1992 with the Montreal Expos, with whom he played sporadically throughout the season. On December 15, 1993, he was re-signed as a free agent
by Montreal. He ended up only playing in 19 games for the Expos from 1992–1993. He was sold on February 18, 1994 to the Boston Red Sox
and assigned to Double-A New Britain for the 1994 season.
after becoming a free agent.
in 1996, after crushing International League
pitching to a tune of a .344 average with 8 homeruns and 41 RBI over the first 51 games, Stairs tied a modern-day Major League Baseball
record when he drove in six runs in one inning (subsequently broken by Fernando Tatis
in 1999). In 1998, he finished 17th in the American League
in the MVP race with a .258 batting average, 38 home runs and 102 RBI. He played mostly in rightfield and as a designated hitter
, alongside superstars Rickey Henderson
, Mark McGwire
, and Jose Canseco
, throughout his tenure in Oakland.
After five seasons with the Athletics, during which he hit 122 home runs and drove in 315 RBI, he was traded on November 20, 2000 to the Chicago Cubs
for minor league pitcher Eric Ireland. The trade was largely seen as a cost-cutting move by the cash-strapped Athletics—Stairs was set to earn $3.2 million for the 2001 season, and his production had dropped in 2000, hitting just .227 with 21 home runs and 81 RBI.
for the Cubs in 2001. He had an OBP of .358 and hit 17 HRs and drove in 61 runs in 128 games. After 2001, he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers
as a free agent for the 2002 season.
the following season.
(then called the Skydome), Stairs had 5 hits
in 8 at-bats which included 2 long home runs.
after signing with them following the '03 season. Despite being on one of the worst teams in baseball, Stairs helped some of the younger players like John Buck and David DeJesus
to adjust to the majors. He hit 39 home runs in his two-and-a-half years in Kansas City. On July 31, 2006 at the trade deadline, Stairs was dealt to the Texas Rangers
for Jose Diaz.
on September 15, 2006.
halfway through the game and immediately took Marcus Thames
's place in the lineup. The Tigers picked up Stairs in hopes that his experience could help them hold their division lead. The Tigers lost their division lead on the final day of the season, but still clinched the Wild Card
. Since he was acquired after August 31st, the deadline for play-off eligible players, he was unable to play for the Tigers during the playoffs. The Tigers went on to win the AL Pennant and lost in the World Series
to the St. Louis Cardinals
. He did not re-sign with the Tigers following the season.
agreed to a one-year minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training
. He made the team and saw significant playing time as the fourth outfielder, and replaced Lyle Overbay
at first base during Overbay's time on the DL
. The 2007 season rejuvenated Stairs's career, due to increased playing time following injuries to Reed Johnson
and Overbay. Unexpectedly playing everyday, he performed well above expectations, providing consistency at the plate and a valuable veteran presence in the Toronto dugout; team manager John Gibbons
publicly stated "I don't know where we'd be without him". As of September 4, Stairs had the highest slugging average on the Jays at .606 and the highest batting average, hitting .312.
On August 8, 2007, Stairs became the first Toronto Blue Jays player to hit five consecutive doubles
in five at bats, and the first Major Leaguer to double in five straight at-bats in fourteen years since Charles Johnson accomplished the feat in 1993. As of September 8, 2007, Stairs was playing quite well for the Blue Jays, with a team leading .315 average on the season and a .989 OPS. He finished the season batting .289 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs—good numbers for a 39-year-old with only about 400 at bats in the year.
On November 2, 2007, Stairs and the Jays agreed on a two-year contract worth $3,250,000., which included a $1.25 million signing bonus and $1 million in each of the 2 seasons. With performance bonuses, Stairs could make as much as $3.50 million based on plate appearances.
Though his age and increasingly poor speed have earned him a reputation as a defensive liability in the outfield, he still possesses a strong throwing arm, and is considered a perfectly capable fielder at first. In 2008, Stairs initially platooned in left field with Shannon Stewart; however, upon the club's release of Frank Thomas
, Stairs became the everyday DH for the ball club. His slow speed is less of a liability on the basepaths, as he is an intelligent baserunner.
Stairs was designated for assignment on August 28, 2008.
for Fabio Castro
.
Stairs hit his first career postseason home run on October 13, 2008 in Game 4 of the 2008 National League Championship Series
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
off Jonathan Broxton
, allowing the Phillies to take the lead and win the game. In the 2009 season, he once again made it to the World Series.
He won the first World Series ring of his 16-year career on October 29, 2008, when the Phillies won the series
against the Rays, 4 games to 1. On April 12, 2009, Stairs's game-winning home run against the Colorado Rockies
was the last home run called by legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas
, who died unexpectedly less than 24 hours later.
Stairs faced Broxton again in the ninth inning of Game Four of the 2009 NLCS rematch between the Phillies and Dodgers at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. Broxton pitched around Stairs, walking him on four pitches. The Phillies won the game later in the inning on a walk-off double by Jimmy Rollins, on which Stairs' pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett scored.
During his time with the team, T-shirts were marketed which touched on Stairs' pinch-hitting prowess in clutch situations. They used a warning which can be found in many elevator
s: "In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs."
with an invite to spring training hoping to crack their 25-man roster out of spring as a left-handed bat off the bench. On August 21, Stairs hit his 21st home run as a pinch hitter
to break a tie with Cliff Johnson for the Major League record.
signed Stairs to a non-guaranteed minor league contract, which included an invitation to Major League Spring Training. After spring training, he was placed on the 25-man roster and went north with the team. Mostly used as a pinch-hitter, with four appearances at first base, in 65 at-bats he had 10 hits and two RBIs. He was designated for assignment
on July 27, 2011. He was released on August 1 and announced his retirement two days later.
and Joe Posnanski
have theorized that Stairs is probably a far more talented hitter than his career stats suggest. Stairs didn't have 500 plate appearances until age 29, at which point he recorded 100 RBI seasons and an adjusted OPS of over 130 two years in a row- and never saw 500 at-bats again. James contends, "You put him in the right park, right position early in his career ... he's going to hit a LOT of bombs." Possibly, Posnanski contends, enough to be worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
with whom he has three daughters, Nicole, Alicia and Chandler. In the off-season, he lives in Bangor, Maine
, where he previously coached hockey for John Bapst Memorial High School
, a private high school. However, he now coaches ice hockey for Bangor High School, where his daughters attend high school.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, and pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. He played for 12 different teams, a major league record he shares with Octavio Dotel
Octavio Dotel
Octavio Eduardo Dotel is a Domincan professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent....
, Mike Morgan
Mike Morgan
Michael Thomas Morgan is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He competed for twelve different teams over 25 years, and is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have played Major League baseball over four decades...
and Ron Villone
Ron Villone
Ronald Thomas Villone Jr. is a Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher who is currently with the Somerset Patriots. He has not been on the same team for more than two years in his major league career and due to his many baseball travels, some of his teammates have affectionately referred...
. He also holds the career major league record for most pinch-hit home runs, with 23.
He was the second Canadian-born player to ever hit more than thirty-five home runs in a season and only the second to hit more than 25 home runs and drive in more than 100 runs in back-to-back seasons. He ranks either first or second in power hitting categories for Canadian major leaguers. , Stairs had hit 23 pinch-hit home runs, a MLB record. His ability to pinch hit has made him a valuable asset to several teams and earned him the nickname "Matt Stairs - Professional Hitter". Stairs, Larry Walker
Larry Walker
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos , Colorado Rockies , and St. Louis Cardinals...
and Jason Bay
Jason Bay
Jason Raymond Bay is a Canadian professional baseball player. An outfielder, he currently plays for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
are the only Canadian MLB players to hit at least 200 career home runs.
Early life
Growing up in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Stairs showed athletic ability at an early age, playing Beaver League baseball a year before his age eligibility and excelling in hockeyIce hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
. After playing Bantam & Midget baseball, at age 16 and 17, he played for the local Marysville Royals of the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League
New Brunswick Senior Baseball League
The New Brunswick Senior Baseball League is the highest level of amateur baseball play in New Brunswick, Canada. The Fredericton Royals are the reigning league champions, and will represent New Brunswick at the 2009 Canadian Senior Baseball Championship in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia...
and was voted "Rookie of The Year" in 1984 and the league's Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
in 1985. He was also named Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League
Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League
The Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League is an amateur baseball league located in Nova Scotia. The league is the highest level of amateur baseball in the province, it is for players 18 and over. The league champion traditionally represents Nova Scotia at the following year's Canadian Senior...
MVP in 1987 and '88 while playing for the Fredericton Schooners.
He attended the National Baseball Institute (NBI) in Vancouver, British Columbia for one year and played for Canada at the 1987 World Amateur Championships in Italy where he was named to the "World All-Star" team. In 1988, he joined the Canadian Junior National team after graduating from Fredericton High School
Fredericton High School
Fredericton High School is a high school in the city of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada. It is the oldest English high school in Canada, founded in 1800.-History:...
. From there he went on to play for the Canadian Olympic Team at the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
, South Korea.
Minor league career
On 17 January 1989, Stairs was signed as an international free agent by the Montreal ExposMontreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. Stairs was then assigned to low single-A Jamestown Expos
Jamestown Expos
The Jamestown Expos were a minor league baseball franchise of the Montreal Expos, located in Jamestown, New York. The team lasted from 1977 to 1993, although Jamestown was affiliated with Montreal in 1970 and 1971, at the time the team was called the Falcons...
where he played second and third base. While playing Double-A ball in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
for the Harrisburg Senators where he led the league in hitting and was voted the Eastern League
Eastern League (U.S. baseball)
The Eastern League is a minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio since 1989. The Eastern League has played at the AA level since 1963. The league was founded in 1923 as the New York-Pennsylvania League...
's 1991 Most Valuable Player. In 1992 and 1993, he moved up to Triple-A (Indianapolis
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
and Ottawa
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
, respectively), with only brief appearances in the majors. Over his career, Stairs has played for six other minor league teams: The Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
(Triple-A) in 1992, the Ottawa Lynx
Ottawa Lynx
The Ottawa Lynx were a minor league baseball team that formerly competed in the Triple-A International League from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over the team's 15 seasons, it was the Triple-A Minor League affiliate of the Montreal Expos , Baltimore...
(Triple-A) in 1993, the New Britain Red Sox (Double-A) in 1994, the Pawtucket Red Sox
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
(Triple-A) in 1995, the Edmonton Trappers
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
(Triple-A) in 1996 and a few rehab games for the Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
(Triple-A) in 2003. His totals in the minors include a .291 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 46 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 237 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
.
On June 8, 1993, Stairs's contract was purchased by the Chunichi Dragons
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chubu region of Japan. The team is in the Central League. They won the 2007 Japan Series and 2007 Asia Series.-History:...
of the NPB.
Montreal Expos
Stairs began his Major LeagueMajor League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
career in 1992 with the Montreal Expos, with whom he played sporadically throughout the season. On December 15, 1993, he was re-signed as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
by Montreal. He ended up only playing in 19 games for the Expos from 1992–1993. He was sold on February 18, 1994 to the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and assigned to Double-A New Britain for the 1994 season.
Boston Red Sox
He started the 1995 season with the Pawtucket farm club until being called up to the major leagues in June 1995. He played in 39 games for the Red Sox, hitting .261 with 1 HR and 17 RBI. At the end of the season, he accepted an offer to play with the Oakland AthleticsOakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
after becoming a free agent.
Oakland Athletics
Stairs had the best years of his career playing for the Athletics. After being called up from Triple-A EdmontonEdmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada....
in 1996, after crushing International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
pitching to a tune of a .344 average with 8 homeruns and 41 RBI over the first 51 games, Stairs tied a modern-day Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
record when he drove in six runs in one inning (subsequently broken by Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatis
Fernando Tatís, Jr. is a Major League Baseball utility player, who is currently a free agent. He previously played for the Texas Rangers , St. Louis Cardinals , Montreal Expos , Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets...
in 1999). In 1998, he finished 17th in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in the MVP race with a .258 batting average, 38 home runs and 102 RBI. He played mostly in rightfield and as a designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
, alongside superstars Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
, Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
, and Jose Canseco
José Canseco
José Canseco Capas, Jr. is a Cuban-American professional baseball manager, outfielder, and designated hitter for the Yuma Scorpions of the North American League and former Major League Baseball player. He is the identical twin brother of former major league player and current teammate Ozzie Canseco...
, throughout his tenure in Oakland.
After five seasons with the Athletics, during which he hit 122 home runs and drove in 315 RBI, he was traded on November 20, 2000 to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for minor league pitcher Eric Ireland. The trade was largely seen as a cost-cutting move by the cash-strapped Athletics—Stairs was set to earn $3.2 million for the 2001 season, and his production had dropped in 2000, hitting just .227 with 21 home runs and 81 RBI.
Chicago Cubs
He was the first basemanFirst baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
for the Cubs in 2001. He had an OBP of .358 and hit 17 HRs and drove in 61 runs in 128 games. After 2001, he signed with the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
as a free agent for the 2002 season.
Milwaukee Brewers
In 2002, Stairs had a similar season to the previous one with the Cubs. He finished the season with 16 home runs, but still had a low batting average, hitting .244. He elected to sign with the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
the following season.
Pittsburgh Pirates
2003 was a strong year for Stairs. He had the best batting average of his career, hitting .292 in 128 games playing as a first baseman and outfielder. He also hit 20 home runs and drove in 57 runs. Stairs's 2003 season included a 3-game series back in Canada against the Blue Jays. In the three games at Rogers CentreRogers Centre
Rogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
(then called the Skydome), Stairs had 5 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 8 at-bats which included 2 long home runs.
Kansas City Royals
Stairs enjoyed three solid years with the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
after signing with them following the '03 season. Despite being on one of the worst teams in baseball, Stairs helped some of the younger players like John Buck and David DeJesus
David DeJesus
David Christopher DeJesus is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.-Career:DeJesus was raised in Manalapan Township, New Jersey, and played high school baseball at Manalapan High School. He was drafted out of high school by the New York Mets in...
to adjust to the majors. He hit 39 home runs in his two-and-a-half years in Kansas City. On July 31, 2006 at the trade deadline, Stairs was dealt to the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
for Jose Diaz.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers hoped that Stairs could provide some veteran leadership on their club, but he just played in 26 games before being waived by the Rangers in 2006. He was picked up off waivers by the Detroit TigersDetroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
on September 15, 2006.
Detroit Tigers
On the day he was claimed, he immediately went to Detroit, arriving at Comerica ParkComerica Park
Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....
halfway through the game and immediately took Marcus Thames
Marcus Thames
Marcus Markley Thames is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has previously played for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers....
's place in the lineup. The Tigers picked up Stairs in hopes that his experience could help them hold their division lead. The Tigers lost their division lead on the final day of the season, but still clinched the Wild Card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
. Since he was acquired after August 31st, the deadline for play-off eligible players, he was unable to play for the Tigers during the playoffs. The Tigers went on to win the AL Pennant and lost in the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. He did not re-sign with the Tigers following the season.
Toronto Blue Jays
On December 7, 2006, Stairs and the Toronto Blue JaysToronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
agreed to a one-year minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. He made the team and saw significant playing time as the fourth outfielder, and replaced Lyle Overbay
Lyle Overbay
Lyle Stefan Overbay is an American professional baseball first baseman who is a free agent.-Amateur career:...
at first base during Overbay's time on the DL
Disabled list
In Major League Baseball, the disabled list is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players.-General guidelines:...
. The 2007 season rejuvenated Stairs's career, due to increased playing time following injuries to Reed Johnson
Reed Johnson
Reed Cameron Johnson is an American professional baseball outfielder. He was born in Riverside, California-College career:...
and Overbay. Unexpectedly playing everyday, he performed well above expectations, providing consistency at the plate and a valuable veteran presence in the Toronto dugout; team manager John Gibbons
John Gibbons
John Michael Gibbons was the manager of the Toronto Blue Jays in Major League Baseball from 2004 to 2008...
publicly stated "I don't know where we'd be without him". As of September 4, Stairs had the highest slugging average on the Jays at .606 and the highest batting average, hitting .312.
On August 8, 2007, Stairs became the first Toronto Blue Jays player to hit five consecutive doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in five at bats, and the first Major Leaguer to double in five straight at-bats in fourteen years since Charles Johnson accomplished the feat in 1993. As of September 8, 2007, Stairs was playing quite well for the Blue Jays, with a team leading .315 average on the season and a .989 OPS. He finished the season batting .289 with 21 home runs and 64 RBIs—good numbers for a 39-year-old with only about 400 at bats in the year.
On November 2, 2007, Stairs and the Jays agreed on a two-year contract worth $3,250,000., which included a $1.25 million signing bonus and $1 million in each of the 2 seasons. With performance bonuses, Stairs could make as much as $3.50 million based on plate appearances.
Though his age and increasingly poor speed have earned him a reputation as a defensive liability in the outfield, he still possesses a strong throwing arm, and is considered a perfectly capable fielder at first. In 2008, Stairs initially platooned in left field with Shannon Stewart; however, upon the club's release of Frank Thomas
Frank Thomas (AL baseball player)
Frank Edward Thomas, Jr. , nicknamed "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman....
, Stairs became the everyday DH for the ball club. His slow speed is less of a liability on the basepaths, as he is an intelligent baserunner.
Stairs was designated for assignment on August 28, 2008.
Philadelphia Phillies
On August 30, 2008, Stairs was traded to the Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Fabio Castro
Fabio Castro
Fabio Enrique Castro is a relief pitcher currently with the Seattle Mariners organization.-Career:...
.
Stairs hit his first career postseason home run on October 13, 2008 in Game 4 of the 2008 National League Championship Series
2008 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Thursday, October 9, 2008 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaDerek Lowe and Cole Hamels faced each other at Citizens Bank Park for Game 1. In the first inning, Manny Ramírez missed a home run by mere feet to center field and settled for an RBI double to give LA a 1–0 lead,...
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
off Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Roy Broxton is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball...
, allowing the Phillies to take the lead and win the game. In the 2009 season, he once again made it to the World Series.
He won the first World Series ring of his 16-year career on October 29, 2008, when the Phillies won the series
2008 World Series
The 2008 World Series was the 104th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as champions of the National League and the Tampa Bay Rays, as American League champions, competed to win four games out of a possible...
against the Rays, 4 games to 1. On April 12, 2009, Stairs's game-winning home run against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
was the last home run called by legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas
Harry Kalas
Harry Norbert Kalas was an American sportscaster, best known for his Ford C. Frick Award-winning role as lead play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Philadelphia Phillies...
, who died unexpectedly less than 24 hours later.
Stairs faced Broxton again in the ninth inning of Game Four of the 2009 NLCS rematch between the Phillies and Dodgers at Citizen's Bank Park in Philadelphia. Broxton pitched around Stairs, walking him on four pitches. The Phillies won the game later in the inning on a walk-off double by Jimmy Rollins, on which Stairs' pinch-runner Eric Bruntlett scored.
During his time with the team, T-shirts were marketed which touched on Stairs' pinch-hitting prowess in clutch situations. They used a warning which can be found in many elevator
Elevator
An elevator is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors of a building, vessel or other structures...
s: "In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs."
San Diego Padres
On January 23, 2010, Stairs agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego PadresSan Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
with an invite to spring training hoping to crack their 25-man roster out of spring as a left-handed bat off the bench. On August 21, Stairs hit his 21st home run as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
to break a tie with Cliff Johnson for the Major League record.
Washington Nationals
On December 14, 2010, the Washington NationalsWashington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
signed Stairs to a non-guaranteed minor league contract, which included an invitation to Major League Spring Training. After spring training, he was placed on the 25-man roster and went north with the team. Mostly used as a pinch-hitter, with four appearances at first base, in 65 at-bats he had 10 hits and two RBIs. He was designated for assignment
Designated for assignment
Designated for assignment is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball. When a player is designated for assignment, he is immediately removed from the club's 40-man roster. This gives the club 10 days to decide what to do with the player while freeing up a roster spot for another...
on July 27, 2011. He was released on August 1 and announced his retirement two days later.
Career perspective
Noted baseball analysts Bill JamesBill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
and Joe Posnanski
Joe Posnanski
Joe Posnanski is an American journalist and senior columnist for Sports Illustrated and former columnist for the The Kansas City Star. He writes extensively on his personal site, Joe Blogs and his SI blog Curiously Long Posts.-Journalism:Posnanski began his journalism career as a multi-use...
have theorized that Stairs is probably a far more talented hitter than his career stats suggest. Stairs didn't have 500 plate appearances until age 29, at which point he recorded 100 RBI seasons and an adjusted OPS of over 130 two years in a row- and never saw 500 at-bats again. James contends, "You put him in the right park, right position early in his career ... he's going to hit a LOT of bombs." Possibly, Posnanski contends, enough to be worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
Personal life
He married Lisa Astle of FrederictonFredericton, New Brunswick
Fredericton is the capital of the Canadian province of New Brunswick, by virtue of the provincial parliament which sits there. An important cultural, artistic, and educational centre for the province, Fredericton is home to two universities and cultural institutions such as the Beaverbrook Art...
with whom he has three daughters, Nicole, Alicia and Chandler. In the off-season, he lives in Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, where he previously coached hockey for John Bapst Memorial High School
John Bapst Memorial High School
John Bapst Memorial High School is a private, independent, collegepreparatory high school in Bangor, Maine, United States. It serves approximately 500 ninth through twelfth grade students from 50 different communities in the region...
, a private high school. However, he now coaches ice hockey for Bangor High School, where his daughters attend high school.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- 2006 World Baseball Classic2006 World Baseball Classic---------Pool B:-------------Pool C:-------------Pool D:-------------Pool 1:-----------------Pool 2:-------------Finals:-Semifinals:-Final:-Final standings:...