On Monday night, the Okotoks Dawgs Academy announced that they have added 2008 World Series Champion Matt Stairs to their coaching staff.
The Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer came to Okotoks this year to host a hitting clinic for the Dawgs Academy during the WCBL All-Star weekend and will now play a vital part in helping the Academy grow as players with his extensive knowledge of the game.
He started his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Montreal Expos from 1992-1993 and played until 2011 when he ended his career with the Washington Nationals. The Nationals moved to Washington after the Expos relocated back in 2005. Stairs would start and end his MLB journey as a player with the same organization.
In 1993, Stairs played in Japan in the Nippon Professional Baseball Central League with the Chunichi Dragons before heading back to the MLB with the Boston Red Sox in 1995. He would also play for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2007-2008.
Stairs also holds an MLB record for most home runs from a pinch-hitter with 23. He would accumulate 265 home runs, and 899 RBIs during his MLB career.
After his playing days were over, Stairs came in as a coach with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017, which is the place he won the World Series back in 2008, and he would also coach the San Diego Padres in 2018.