Best Of The Oakland Athletics: Top 10 Seasons At Designated Hitter
By Phil Watson
3. Matt Stairs, 1998
| Year ▾ | Age | G | PA | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 30 | 149 | 593 | 88 | 154 | 33 | 1 | 26 | 106 | 8 | 3 | 59 | 93 | .294 | .370 | .511 | .880 | 131 |
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 3/7/2014.
The well-traveled Stairs finally got a chance to play regularly in 1998 and responded with a big year, topping the 100-RBI mark for the first time.
He was third among AL designated hitters with 106 RBI.
Stairs hit for more power after the All-Star break, but was a better hitter before it, hitting .333/.410/.571 in 76 games with 23 doubles, 11 home runs and 56 RBI. He clubbed 15 homers in 73 games after the break, but hit just .257/.331/.463.
He was extremely productive in May, posting a 1.024 OPS in 23 games while belting nine doubles and four home runs and driving in 19.