Blue Jays designate Stairs for assignment

Aug 29, 2008 - 5:50 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- According to a report on the team's web site, the Toronto Blue Jays designated 17-year veteran Matt Stairs for assignment after Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, opening up a roster spot for Travis Snider, their highly touted outfield prospect.

Stairs is hitting .250 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI in 105 games this season.

"Sure enough," Stairs said. "I didn't even get my spikes off and I was called in (to manager Cito Gaston's office). Everything happens for a reason, so we'll see what happens."

According to a report by FOX Sports late Thursday, the Blue Jays have agreed to trade Stairs to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for a player to be named.

"He was not shocked," Gaston said. "He's a veteran. He knows it's that time of year, so he's fine."

Signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent in 1989, Stairs has batted .266 with 252 homers and 859 RBI in 1,646 career games with 10 teams. His best season came in 1999, when he hit 38 homers and drove in 102 runs for the Oakland Athletics.

Snider, whose contract was purchased from Class AAA Syracuse, was a first-round pick in 2006 out of Henry M. Jackson High School in Mill Creek, Washington. He was hitting .344 in 17 games for Syracuse this year after being promoted from Class AA New Hampshire, where he hit .262 with 17 homers and 67 RBI in 98 games.

The power-hitting Snider is considered one of the top prospects in the organization and, with the Blue Jays fading to nine games back in the American League wild card race, they decided now was the time to get a look at their future. Gaston said Snider will see time in both left and right field.