Seattle unveils new ads

TV spots leave players laughing

KIRBY ARNOLD, FOR THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Friday, March 15, 2002

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The surest sign yet that the seasons are changing from winter to baseball unfolded Thursday night.

The Seattle Mariners' annual television commercials are out. As the Mariners played the San Francisco Giants in an exhibition game in Scottsdale, fans back home saw several other sides of their favorite players in TV ads that are part of the team's ticket-sales campaign.

As in the past, humor serves as the baseline for the ads and the ballplayers are the stars.

- Second baseman Bret Boone carried a big schtick for his spot, in which retiring Jay Buhner told Boone it was time for him to step up and be a team leader. The next scene shows Buhner shaving Boone's head, with the second baseman saying, "Do you think Boonie Buzz Night will catch on?"

- Jamie Moyer, whose fastball rarely surpasses 84 mph, lights up the radar gun at 97, 98 and 99. Kilometers per hour.

"Jamie got this thing in France," pitching coach Bryan Price says of the gun.

Moyer, excited with his radar readings, exclaims, "Ooh-la-la!"

- Ichiro Suzuki makes like Tiger Woods, bouncing a baseball several times off his bat, then hitting it to right field with a mighty swing. Suzuki then runs to first base, picks up his glove, sprints into outfield and catches the ball -- behind his back.

"Not bad, huh?" Suzuki says.

- Lou Piniella shows his managerial genius by moving center fielder Mike Cameron a few steps to his left. Just as he gets settled, a meteor crashes into the outfield where Cameron had been standing.

"How'd you see that one coming" bench coach John McLaren asks Piniella.

"Just a hunch," the skipper answers.

- Designated hitter Edgar Martinez shows how a hitter and his bat can become close, and the heartbreak that can occur when that relationship is splintered -- literally.

"It was one of the funnest things I've done," said Boone, who wore a cap that made him look bald. "If you had been there (for the taping), it was 10 times funnier than what you saw. Jay and I got the giggles and after a while we'd just look at each other and start laughing. I think it took me 10 minutes to do just one line."

M's glance

- Thursday: San Francisco 5, Seattle 4.

- Today: Seattle vs. San Francisco, noon (1240-AM).

The Olympian Copyright 2002

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