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Reluctant to leave the Toronto Blue Jays, Matt Stairs plans to make the most of an opportunity to reach the post-season with the Philadelphia Phillies.
The teams were finalizing details Friday of a trade that will send the 40-year-old slugger to the City of Brotherly Love for what's expected to be a prospect. The deal should be completed Saturday, when Stairs joins his new teammates for a series against the Cubs.
"I never really had a say in it," Stairs told The Canadian Press while en route to Chicago. "They told me I was going to a contending team and that made it a little easier to accept than if I was going to a team that was out of the race. That would have been different.
"This is a good opportunity for me."
Toronto Blue Jays Matt Stairs watches a home-run shot against the Twins. (Eric Miller/Reuters)
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That it certainly is, especially with the Blue Jays doing little more than pretending that they're in contention. Rather than playing out the string on a disappointing season, he'll be trying to help the Phillies overtake the New York Mets for first in the NL East.
They headed into Friday's action a game off the pace.
Stairs gives the Phillies a left-handed bat off the bench to replace the injured Geoff Jenkins and his career numbers at Citizens Bank Park are eye-popping. In eight career games there, he's hit .444 (12-for-27) with six homers, 10 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
"Definitely it's a good situation," said Stairs, batting .250 with 11 homers and 44 RBIs in 105 games this season. "They have a good ballpark for hitters, I've always hit well there, it's close to home."
Stairs had made two previous trips to the post-season, in 1995 with Boston and 2000 with Oakland, both first-round losses. He wasted little time getting the lay of the land in the NL East after getting the news.
"Basically, I picked up the schedule and looked at who we're playing, stuff like that," he said. "I know we're one game out going into tonight, so it's going to be a good race."
Still, Stairs leaves with mixed emotions.
He was among the many who expected better things from the Blue Jays this season, who are realistically playing for third in the AL East and little else. The native of Fredericton had also planned to finish his career in Toronto after signing a US$3.25 million, two-year contract last fall.
"You never know, I could end up retiring as a coach from the Blue Jays," quipped Stairs. "Being a Canadian player on the only Canadian team, I wanted to retire as a Blue Jay but who knows what's going to happen.
"Maybe I could ask for a one-day contract so I can retire as a Blue Jay."
As for 2009, when he's schedule to earn $1 million, Stairs said: "It's early to think about next year. We also have to see what (the Phillies') plans are."
The Blue Jays made the move to clear space for top prospect Travis Snider, an outfielder coming up from triple-A Syracuse widely considered the best offensive player in their farm system.
In 133 games at three minor-league levels this season, he batted .275 with 23 homers and 91 RBIs. A first-rounder in 2006, Snider is a key part of the club's future and the 20-year-old will be watched closely to see just how ready he is.
Stairs had a feeling something was about to happen after spending his final night with the Blue Jays glued to the bench in a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. He was designated for assignment after the game so that Snider could be brought up Friday.
"They decided they were going in a different direction, I understand that, that's baseball," said Stairs. "I had a great time in Toronto and wish them nothing but the best."
