| Matt Stairs | |
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| Outfielder / First baseman / Designated hitter | |
| Born: February 27, 1968 Saint John, New Brunswick |
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| Batted: Left | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| May 29, 1992 for the Montreal Expos | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 22, 2011 for the Washington Nationals | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .263 |
| Home runs | 265 |
| Runs batted in | 897 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Matthew Wade Stairs (born February 27, 1968) 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. [1] 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. As of 14 September 2010[update], 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.[2]
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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 hockey. 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.
On 17 January 1989, Stairs was signed as an international free agent by the Montreal Expos. 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 runs and 237 RBI.[3]
On June 8, 1993, Stairs's contract was purchased by the Chunichi Dragons of the NPB.
Stairs began his Major 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 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.
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 Athletics after becoming a free agent.
Stairs had the best years of his career playing for the Athletics. After being called up from Triple-A Edmonton 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.
He was the first baseman 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.
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 Pirates the following season.
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 Centre (then called the Skydome), Stairs had 5 hits in 8 at-bats which included 2 long home runs.[4]
Stairs enjoyed three solid years with the Kansas City Royals 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.
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 Tigers on September 15, 2006.
On the day he was claimed, he immediately went to Detroit, arriving at Comerica Park 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.
On December 7, 2006, Stairs and the Toronto Blue Jays 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".[5] 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.[6] 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.,[7] 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.
On August 30, 2008, Stairs was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Fabio Castro.[8]
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.[9]
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 elevators: "In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs."[10]
On January 23, 2010, Stairs agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres with an invite to spring training hoping to crack their 25-man roster out of spring as a left-handed bat off the bench.[11][12] 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.
On December 14, 2010, the Washington Nationals signed Stairs to a non-guaranteed minor league contract, which included an invitation to Major League Spring Training.[13][14] 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.[15] He was designated for assignment on July 27, 2011.[16] He was released on August 1[17] and announced his retirement two days later.[18]
Noted baseball analysts Bill James 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.[19]
He married Lisa Astle of Fredericton with whom he has three daughters, Nicole, Alicia and Chandler.[20] 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.
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