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Padres tab Matt Stairs as hitting coach

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The San Diego Padres beefed up their coaching staff Monday, hiring Matt Stairs - the journeyman slugger who smacked 265 homers over 19 seasons in the big leagues - as their new hitting coach.

"Matt possesses a true understanding of and passion for hitting," Padres general manager A.J. Preller said in a statement. "Throughout his playing career, he was a student of the game. In this process, we looked for teachers who could make an immediate impact with our players, and Matt brings invaluable knowledge and experience both as a coach and as a 19-year Major League veteran."

Signed as an international free agent by the Montreal Expos in 1989, Stairs, a native of Saint John, New Brunswick, spent time with 12 different teams throughout his meandering career, emerging as a middle-of-the-lineup thumper with the Oakland Athletics in the late-90s and later finding success in a pinch-hitting specialty role that kept him employed in the majors until he was 43. Stairs, who's best remembered for his epic pinch-hit homer off Jonathan Broxton in the 2008 National League Championship Series, holds the all-time record for pinch-hit home runs (23), and boasts more career homers than every Canadian-born player except Larry Walker (383).

Following his retirement in 2011, Stairs served as an in-studio analyst at the New England Sports Network, then spent three seasons in an analyst role with CSN Philly. In 2017, he took over as the hitting coach for the Philadelphia Phillies.

"We're thrilled to have Matt join our coaching staff," said Padres manager Andy Green. "He did a tremendous job with the Phillies' young players last season and brings a wealth of hitting knowledge to our ball club."

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