Stairs Close to Resigning

The Royals are reportedly close to resigning Matt Stairs for one more year. I'm not sure why Baird wants to keep a veteran around all of a sudden, but I couldn't be happier.

Stairs is so much more than his .266 average, 11 HR and 50 RBI indicates. He's durable—filling in for the often injured Mike Sweeney at first base. He's willing to speak the truth to both his teammates and the media when he sees something that's amiss with the team. He plays hard—diving for balls in the field and running ground balls out while at bat. And he's loyal. Maybe to a fault.

"I feel somewhat obligated to the Royals," he is quoted as saying in an article currently running in the KC Star, "because they've given me two seasons of playing almost every day. I didn't have that for four years. Last year, I had more than 400 at-bats, and this year I'm on pace for more than 400 at-bats.

"I could go out into the free-agent market and probably go to a contender, but anyone can do that. I'd rather stay here and try to get this great organization back on a winning note."

He'd rather stay in Kansas City to help a team who often seems directionless than hook up with a better team looking for a left handed bat. And maybe, Baird has finally seen the light after making several wrong decisions regarding veterans.

He gave Joe Randa, another guy who liked the KC area and who wanted to remain with the Royals, his walking papers and that was clearly a mistake. He traded Tony Graffanino, someone who was quite content to stay in Kansas City and who has even expressed an interest in resigning for next season, and now we have a rookie playing second who is hitting a buck eighty two. And his back up is 35 years old. And Baird hasn't given Aaron Guiel a shot to play at the major league level this season, even though he opted to stay in the organization when he could have bolted and even though he has 30 HR and 95 RBI in Omaha right now (sounds a lot like that power hitting corner outfielder that Baird keeps telling us he's looking for).

Whatever Baird's reasoning is for keeping Stairs, I'll just be glad to see Matt in Royal blue for one more season.