Fisher's Thoughts: April 4th

[Fishercat]

WARNING: THIS WILL BE A RANT ABOUT MATT STAIRS. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED

A few notes on today's game.

A. lol Javier Lopez. I half expect him to be subject to the Bobby Cox treatment with Tito. Place him in to face Lefty #1. After he walks him, move him to LF and sub out Manny. Let a competent RP face the Righty and get him out. Then bring him BACK from the OF to walk two more lefties.

B. It's way too early to tell, but Drew's hitting like he's got that big problem off his head. I believe his daughter was going through some rough stuff and it really weighed on him. He's hitting like his stats say he should.

C. Matt Stairs kills us every time it seems. OK, I'm going to go on a rant because Stairs is my favorite player. And this is no knock on Drew, he's been great from September of last year on, but.

OK, we paid 15 million dollars per year for 5 years to J.D. Drew. Prior to that, we paid Trot Nixon at least four million dollars per year since 2003 to play RF for us. Both of them are brittle RF who play good defense but who can't hit lefties.

Now, Matt Stairs has never made 4 million dollars in a year. Over his career, not including 2008, he's made about 150k less than Drew does in a year with Boston. I'm going to compare OPS+es of Nixon and Drew as Sox to what Stairs has done with various teams. Granted, his defense sucks and most of this came against rightes (but so did Nixon)

Stairs v. Nixon-Drew
2003: 142 - 149
2004: 104 - 123* (167 ABs, Kapler had a 77 and he was the starter)
2005: 118 - 109
2006: 92 - 96
2007: 138 - 105

Now, N-D has been more valuable and without that, we probably wouldn't have won the two WSes, and I am eternally grateful. But this is a general memo, how exactly is Stairs not getting paid more than a mil a year or so? Yes, he's old, can't field well, and only hits righties. But he RAKES righties. His OPS+ is 36th among active players, tied with Shawn Green whose made 100 million dollars in his career. It amazes me.

Plus, he seems to hit us every time in some way. Completely baffling how 9 inches (of height, you pervs) and better defense in a COF position can be an 85 million dollar difference.

This is a general notice. A player like Stairs is how small market teams can compete. A million bucks for an .800~ OPS v. righties and 15-20 bombs. Come on people.

D. Cash actually caught Wakefield well, wow. Sure, he's an even worse hitter than Belli, but we have an option!

[missionhockey21]

I think Stairs is a guy that most people have simply wrote off for a number of reasons and I think most GM's think that his proverbial bubble will burst once signed to their team. The value he has given at a bargain basement price, well into his mature years as a ball player, is simply awesome. As you point out in the salary comparisons, amidst a market of years of overspending, Stairs has not been the beneficiary of it and he simply does his job and then moves on to the next team looking for a cheap but effective bat.

Not to turn this whole thread into a Stairs discussion, but I really think if Stairs played in a different era (even the 70's), he would have gotten more recognition. Too many fans of the game desire the flash that many of the stars bring (or the media surrounds them with), and unless a guy is Eckstein scrappy, the solid workman like player seems to get less just due.

(BTW, it's weird to see that JD Drew is 32 now. I don't know, but it is.)

[Halladay_is_God]

kind of funny Drew and Stairs hit a HR tonight


btw, Stairs signed a 2-year contract worth 3.5 million this off-season

On November 2, 2007, Stairs and the Jays agreed on a two-year contract worth $3,250,000 the contract includes a $1.25 million signing bonus, Stairs will make $1 million in each of the 2 seasons. With performance bonuses, Stairs could make as much as $3.50 million based on plate appearances.

p.s. great to have you back fish

[Kingdom]

McKain: He ain't no Nick Johnson