Matt Stairs, regardless of whatever happens in 2009, has already secured his place in Phillies lore with his moon shot homer in Game 4 of the NLCS off Jonathan Broxton.

But it’s time to ask ourselves whether or not Stairs belongs with this team in 2009. Does he deserve one of the precious bench spots? With all indications being that the Phils will carry 12 pitchers, a 5 man bench looks very likely. Greg Dobbs, Eric Bruntlett, Coste/Paulino, Geoff Jenkins and one other player.

Miguel Cairo, Marcus Giles, John Mayberry Jr., Stairs and Pablo Ozuna have all been vying for one of those precious roster spots. All are right-handed except for Stairs.

With a roster that is already weighted toward the lefties, the Phils need to let Stairs go, even if it means eating his contract. A trade, even if it were for cash or a player to be named later would be a more suitable alternative to opening 2009 with Matt Stairs on the bench.

Matt Stairs seems like a likable everyman, and his game winning homer in Game 4 of the NLCS makes being objective about him difficult.

But roster spots are precious things, and a one-dimensional player who gives you homers and only homer is often the player you pick up after the non-waiver trade deadline. A guy like Stairs fills a need near the end of the season when Lady Luck has shown her bitchy side in the dog days of summer. Stairs is not a guy you open the season with.

Versatility

Anyone who has spent a split second in Corporate America has heard about cross-training. The most valuable members of a team, whether they work in cubicles or on baseball diamonds, are those that can be plugged into different jobs on different days and are able to adapt and contribute in those varied roles.

Of Cairo, Bruntlett, Ozuna, and Giles, only Giles is relatively one dimensional in the field, where he played almost exclusively at second base during his career. While none of the Phillies right handed bench options will ever be mistaken for Brooks Robinson, having guys on the bench who can grab a glove and run out to a variety of positions has real value.

I see a bench of Bruntlett, Dobbs, Geoff Jenkins, Chris Coste and Miguel Cairo, who has had a solid spring.

And we’ll be left with one great moment from the Matt Stairs era.