Matthew Wade Stairs (born February 27, 1968) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Modern professional ...
outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to c ...
,
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
, and
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
, who holds the record for most
pinch-hit
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) history with 23. His pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning of
Game 4 in the
2008 National League Championship Series
The 2008 National League Championship Series (NLCS), the second round of the 2008 National League playoffs, was a best-of-seven baseball game series. The series matched the NL West Champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the NL East Champion Phil ...
off the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
reliever
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed because of fatigue, ineffectiveness, injury, or ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as inclement weather ...
Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Roy Broxton (born June 16, 1984) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardin ...
was called "one of the most memorable home runs in Phillies history".
In his career, Stairs played for more teams than any position player in MLB history (12 – technically 13 teams, but 12 franchises, as he played for the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
and
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
);
Edwin Jackson holds the record for pitchers and all players at 14.
He was the second Canadian-born player ever to 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 also holds the all-time MLB record of home runs hit as a pinch-hitter with 23. His ability to pinch hit made him a valuable asset to several teams and earned him the nickname "Matt Stairs – Professional Hitter". Stairs,
Larry Walker
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker (born December 1, 1966) is a Canadian former professional baseball right fielder. During his 17-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he played with the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies, and St. Louis Cardinals. I ...
,
Justin Morneau
Justin Ernest George Morneau (born May 15, 1981) is a Canadian former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago White Sox. At and , ...
,
Jason Bay
Jason Raymond Bay (born September 20, 1978) is a Canadian-American former professional baseball left fielder. Bay played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Seattle Marin ...
, and
Joey Votto
Joseph Daniel Votto (born September 10, 1983) is a Canadian-American professional baseball first baseman for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut with the Reds in 2007. He is the first Canadian MLB player ...
are the only Canadian MLB players to hit at least 200 career home runs. On February 4, 2015, Stairs was elected to the
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (french: Temple de la renommée du baseball canadien) is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museum commemorates great players, teams, and accomplishments of baseball in Canada.
H ...
.
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; he also excelled in
hockey
Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...
. After playing Bantam & Midget baseball, at age 16 and 17, he played for the local Marysville Royals of the
New Brunswick Senior Baseball League The New Brunswick Senior Baseball League is the highest level of amateur baseball play in New Brunswick, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific ...
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
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 Nov ...
MVP in 1987 and '88 while playing for the Fredericton Schooners.
He attended the National Baseball Institute (NBI) in
Vancouver, British Columbia
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. The ...
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 is a high school in the city of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada.
History
When the city of Fredericton was initially laid out in 1758, city planners set aside a plot of land in the downtown region that was intended ...
. From there he went on to play for the Canadian Olympic Team at the
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...
in
Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) as stated iArticle 103 of ...
, South Korea.
Minor league career
On January 17, 1989, Stairs was signed as an international free agent by the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos (french: link=no, Les Expos de Montréal) were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal, Quebec. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in t ...
. Stairs was then assigned to low single-A
Jamestown Expos where he played second and third base. He played Double-A ball in
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for the
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League, and the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who play their home games at FNB Field on City Island, which opened in 1987 a ...
, 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
The Ottawa Lynx were a Minor League Baseball team that competed in the Triple-A International League (IL) from 1993 to 2007. The team's home field was Lynx Stadium in Ottawa, Ontario. Over 15 seasons, the team was an affiliate of the Montreal ...
(Triple-A) in 1993, the
New Britain Red Sox
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
(Double-A) in 1994, the
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox, known colloquially as the PawSox, were a professional minor league baseball club based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. From 1973 to 2020, the team was a member of the International League and served as the Triple-A affiliate ...
(Triple-A) in 1995, the
Edmonton Trappers
The Edmonton Trappers were a minor league baseball team in Edmonton, Alberta. They were a part of the Triple-A level in the Pacific Coast League, ending with the 2004 season. Their home games were played at Telus Field in downtown Edmonton.
T ...
(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
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
with 46
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s and 237
RBI.
On June 8, 1993, Stairs' contract was purchased by the
Chunichi Dragons
The are a professional baseball team based in Nagoya, the chief city in the Chūbu region of Japan. The team plays in the Central League of Nippon Professional Baseball. They have won the Central League pennant nine times (most recently in 2011) ...
of the
NPB. He played 60 games for the Dragons that season, hitting .250, with six home runs and 23 RBI in 142 at bats.
Major league career
Montreal Expos
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
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
by Montreal. He ended up only playing in 19 games for the Expos from 1992 to 1993.
Stairs was sold on February 18, 1994, to the
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
and assigned to the Double-A
New Britain Red Sox
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...
for the 1994 season, where he batted .309 with nine home runs and 61 RBI in 93 games.
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 a home run and 17 RBI.
At the end of the season, he accepted an offer to play with the
Oakland Athletics after becoming a free agent.
Oakland Athletics
Stairs had the best years of his career playing for the Athletics. He was called up from Triple-A
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
in 1996, after crushing
International League pitching to a tune of a .344 average with eight home runs and 41 RBI over the first 51 games.
He played mostly in right field and as a
designated hitter
The designated hitter (DH) is a baseball player who bats in place of another position player, most commonly the pitcher. The position is authorized by Major League Baseball Rule 5.11. It was adopted by the American League in 1973 and later by th ...
, alongside superstars
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Nelson Henley Henderson (born December 25, 1958) is an American retired professional baseball left fielder who played his 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four separate tenures with hi ...
,
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963), nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball first baseman who played 16 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001 for the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Card ...
, and
Jose Canseco
José Canseco Capas Jr. (born July 2, 1964), nicknamed Parkway Jose, Mr. 40-40 and El Cañonero Cubano (The Cuban Cannon), is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder and designated hitter. During his time with the Oaklan ...
, throughout his tenure in Oakland.
In his July 5, 1996 debut with Oakland, Stairs tied a major league record with six runs batted in during one inning. That first inning performance included a
grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
and a two-run single (subsequently broken by
Fernando Tatís
Fernando Gabriel Tatís Medina Sr. (born January 1, 1975) is a Dominican former professional baseball third baseman and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) manager. Over his 11-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, Tatís played for the Texas R ...
in 1999). In 1999, he finished 17th in the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
in the
MVP
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
race with a .258 batting average, 38 home runs and 102 RBI in 146 games.
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.
Chicago Cubs
On December 19, 2000, Stairs agreed to a one-year, $3.2 million contract with the Cubs to avoid arbitration. He served as the
first baseman
A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...
for the Cubs in 2001. Stairs had an OBP of .358 and batted .250 with 17 home runs and 61 RBI in 128 games.
He then became a free agent after the season.
Milwaukee Brewers
On January 25, 2002, Stairs signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the
Milwaukee Brewers 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 and 41 RBI in 107 games, but still had a low batting average, hitting .244.
Pittsburgh Pirates
On December 16, 2002, Stairs agreed to a one-year, $900,000 contract with the
Pittsburgh Pirates. 2003 was a strong year for Stairs. He finished the year batting .292 with 20 home runs and 57 RBI in 128 games while playing as a first baseman and outfielder.
Stairs' 2003 season included a three-game series back in Canada against the Blue Jays. In the three games at
Rogers Centre (then called the Skydome), Stairs had five
hits in eight
at-bats, which included two long home runs.
Kansas City Royals
On December 9, 2003, Stairs signed a one-year deal with the
Kansas City Royals. He went on to enjoy three solid years with the Royals, hitting 39 home runs in his two-and-a-half years in Kansas City.
Despite being on one of the worst teams in baseball, Stairs helped some of the younger players like
John Buck and
David DeJesus
David Christopher DeJesus (; born December 20, 1979) is an American former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals, Tampa Bay Ray ...
adjust to the majors. On July 31, 2006, at the trade deadline, Stairs was dealt to the
Texas Rangers for
Joselo Díaz
Joselo Soriano Díaz (born April 13, 1980) is a Dominican former Major League Baseball pitcher. He has played in MLB for the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers and in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Yokohama BayStars.
Career
At the age o ...
.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers hoped that Stairs could provide some veteran leadership on their club, but he just played in 26 games, batting .210 with three home runs and 11 RBI before being waived by the Rangers.
He was picked up off waivers by the
Detroit Tigers on September 15, 2006.
Detroit Tigers
On the day he was claimed, he immediately went to Detroit, arriving at
Comerica Park
Comerica Park is a baseball stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It has been the home of Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers since 2000, when the team left Tiger Stadium.
History Construction
Founded in 1894, the Tigers had played at the c ...
halfway through the game and immediately taking
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. In 14 games with the Tigers, Stairs batted .244 with two home runs and 8 RBI.
Since he was acquired after August 31, 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
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, contested since 1903 between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winner of the World ...
to the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
. He did not re-sign with the Tigers following the season.
Toronto Blue Jays
On December 7, 2006, Stairs and the
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since 1989, the team has played its home games ...
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, replacing
Lyle Overbay
Lyle Stefan Overbay (born January 28, 1977) is an American former professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankee ...
at first base during Overbay's time on the
DL. The 2007 season rejuvenated Stairs' career, due to increased playing time following injuries to
Reed Johnson and Overbay. Unexpectedly playing every day, 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
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...
on the Jays at .606 and the highest batting average at .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 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 Blue Jays agreed on a two-year, $3.25 million contract, which included a $1.25 million signing bonus and a $1 million base salary in each of the two seasons.
With performance bonuses, Stairs could make as much as $3.5 million based on plate appearances.
Though his age and increasingly poor speed earned him a reputation as a defensive liability in the outfield, he still possessed a strong throwing arm, and was 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 on April 20 Stairs became the everyday DH for the ball club, although was later
designated for assignment
Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
on August 28, 2008.
Philadelphia Phillies
On August 30, 2008, Stairs was traded to the
Philadelphia Phillies for
Fabio Castro
Fabio Enrique Castro (born January 20, 1985), is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies, from to .
Career
Chicago White Sox
He was originall ...
.
Stairs hit his first career postseason home run on October 13, 2008, in Game 4 of the
2008 National League Championship Series
The 2008 National League Championship Series (NLCS), the second round of the 2008 National League playoffs, was a best-of-seven baseball game series. The series matched the NL West Champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the NL East Champion Phil ...
against the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Established in 1883 in the city of Brooklyn ...
off
Jonathan Broxton
Jonathan Roy Broxton (born June 16, 1984) is an American former professional baseball relief pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardin ...
, allowing the Phillies to take the lead and win the game.
He won the first
World Series ring
A World Series ring is an award given to Major League Baseball players who win the World Series. Since only one Commissioner's Trophy is awarded to the team, a World Series ring is an individual award that players and staff of each World Series ...
of his 16-year career on October 29, 2008, when the Phillies won the
series
Series may refer to:
People with the name
* Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series
* George Series (1920–1995), English physicist
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Series, the ordered sets used in ...
against the Rays, four games to one. On April 12, 2009, Stairs' game-winning home run against the
Colorado Rockies was the last home run called by broadcaster
Harry Kalas
Harold Norbert Kalas (March 26, 1936 – April 13, 2009) 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, a position he held fr ...
, who died unexpectedly less than 24 hours later.
Stairs faced Broxton again in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the
2009 NLCS
The 2009 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was a best-of-seven baseball game series pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League Championship and the right to represent the National League in ...
rematch between the Phillies and Dodgers at Citizens 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
Eric Kevin Bruntlett (born March 29, 1978), was an American former professional baseball utility player, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies. Bruntlett is perhaps best remembered for executing ...
scored.
In the 2009 season, he once again made it to the World Series, but the Phillies lost to the
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...
in six games.
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
An elevator or lift is a cable-assisted, hydraulic cylinder-assisted, or roller-track assisted machine that vertically transports people or freight between floors, levels, or decks of a building, vessel, or other structure. They a ...
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 Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
with an invite to spring training hoping to crack their 25-man roster out of spring as a left-handed bat off the bench. During the offseason, he lost nearly 40 pounds, which helped him make the team out of spring training. 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.
Washington Nationals
On December 14, 2010, the
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are an American professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C.. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. From 2005 to 2007, the team played in RFK Stadiu ...
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 (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must within seven days, return the pla ...
on July 27, 2011. He was released on August 1 and announced his retirement two days later.
Coaching career
On November 2, 2016, Stairs was hired as the hitting coach for the
Philadelphia Phillies.
On October 30, 2017, Stairs was hired as the hitting coach for the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1969, the club has won two NL penn ...
. He was fired after one season.
Career perspective
Noted baseball analysts
Bill James and
Joe Posnanski
Joe Posnanski (; nicknamed "Poz" and "Joe Po"; born January 8, 1967) is an American sports journalist. A former senior columnist for ''Sports Illustrated'' (where he wrote the blog Curiously Long Posts) and columnist for ''The Kansas City Star'', ...
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 have been worthy of Hall of Fame consideration.
Other work and personal life
In January 2012, Stairs accepted a job with the
NESN
New England Sports Network, popularly known as NESN , is an American regional sports cable and satellite television network owned by a joint venture of Fenway Sports Group (which owns a controlling 80% interest, and is the owner of Boston Red So ...
sports news station to work as a
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...
studio analyst. On February 11, 2014, the Phillies announced that Stairs and fellow former-Phillie
Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Over his 25-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Moyer pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Boston ...
would join the team's television broadcasting crew as color analysts, following the dismissal of
Gary Matthews
Gary Nathaniel Matthews Sr. (born July 5, 1950), nicknamed Sarge, is an American former professional baseball left fielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phill ...
and
Chris Wheeler
Chris Wheeler (born August 9, 1945) is a former announcer and color commentator for the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. He is nicknamed "Wheels".
Wheeler attended Marple Newtown High School in Pennsylvania and received a B.A. i ...
. Stairs worked with play-by-play commentator
Tom McCarthy Thomas McCarthy (also Tom and Tommy) may refer to:
Academia
*Thomas A. McCarthy (born 1940), American professor of philosophy
*Thomas J. McCarthy (born 1956), American professor of polymer chemistry at the University of Massachusetts
*J. Thomas Mc ...
and in-game reporter Gregg Murphy, and occasionally with
Ben Davis, before moving to the Phillies' dugout as the team's hitting coach starting with the 2017 season.
He is married to Lisa Astle of
Fredericton with whom he has three daughters, Nicole, Alicia and Chandler. He lives in Fredericton and was named coach of the
Fredericton High School
Fredericton High School is a high school in the city of Fredericton in New Brunswick, Canada.
History
When the city of Fredericton was initially laid out in 1758, city planners set aside a plot of land in the downtown region that was intended ...
ice hockey team in 2012, a job he had often referred to as his dream.
Stairs was inducted into the
New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame in June 2012.
On June 15, 2015, Stairs was inducted into the
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (french: Temple de la renommée du baseball canadien) is a museum located in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada. The museum commemorates great players, teams, and accomplishments of baseball in Canada.
H ...
.
In November 2016, Stairs was among those nominated and placed on the
2017 ballot for the
Baseball Hall of Fame;
he did not receive enough votes to appear on future ballots.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
This is a list of the 300 Major League Baseball players who have hit the most home runs.
In the sport of baseball, a home run is a hit in which the batter scores by circling all the bases and reaching home plate in one play, without the benefit ...
References
External links
Matt Stairsat SABR (Baseball BioProject)
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stairs, Matt
1968 births
Living people
Baseball people from New Brunswick
Baseball players at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Boston Red Sox announcers
Boston Red Sox players
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame inductees
Canadian expatriate baseball players in Japan
Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States
Chicago Cubs players
Chunichi Dragons players
Detroit Tigers players
Edmonton Trappers players
Harrisburg Senators players
Indianapolis Indians players
Jacksonville Expos players
Jamestown Expos players
Kansas City Royals players
Major League Baseball designated hitters
Major League Baseball first basemen
Major League Baseball hitting coaches
Major League Baseball left fielders
Major League Baseball players from Canada
Major League Baseball right fielders
Mayos de Navojoa players
Canadian expatriate baseball players in Mexico
Milwaukee Brewers players
Montreal Expos players
Nashville Sounds players
New Britain Red Sox players
Oakland Athletics players
Olympic baseball players of Canada
Ottawa Lynx players
Pawtucket Red Sox players
Philadelphia Phillies announcers
Philadelphia Phillies coaches
Philadelphia Phillies players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
San Diego Padres coaches
San Diego Padres players
Sportspeople from Bangor, Maine
Sportspeople from Fredericton
New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame inductees
Sportspeople from Saint John, New Brunswick
Rockford Expos players
Texas Rangers players
Toronto Blue Jays players
Washington Nationals players
World Baseball Classic players of Canada
2006 World Baseball Classic players
2009 World Baseball Classic players
West Palm Beach Expos players