Matt Stairs Earns $3 Million Two-Year Contract Extension With Jays
Posted November 2, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Blue Jays have decided to climb the Stairs at least two more times. The club has re-signed veteran Canadian Matt Stairs for two more seasons, after the 39-year-old wowed both fans and the brass with an amazing year.
The New Brunswick native may be in the twilight of his career, but it appears there’s still a long night ahead of him. Stairs was one of the few Blue Jays during the regular season who demonstrated the ability to consistently hit under any and all conditions, even as more highly touted sluggers like Vernon Wells slumped.
He hit .289 with 21 homers and 64 RBIs in 357 at-bats during 125 games this season. And during some of those notorious power failures the club endured, he was one of the few sure spark plugs.
There were questions about whether the team was interested in having him back, and they came from both sides. The Jays were eyeing his age – he’s almost 40, close to the time most ball players are considering calling it a career. And Stairs wasn’t sure what his role would be and was waiting for clarification from management before agreeing to anything.
He had been a bargain, earning just $850,000 in a one year deal as the fourth outfielder. But he’s earned his raise. The new pact that keeps him here for a deuce will pay him US$3.25 million.
Although given his origins and the state of the loonie, maybe he should have asked for that in Canadian dollars.
