The Bautista PR blitz continues with another promo video, just in time for tonight’s home run derby

The Bautista PR blitz continues with another promo video, just in time for tonight’s home run derby


What do heavily synthesized drum-machine loops, annoying Auto-Tuned vocals and overdubbed home run calls have in common? If we’ve learned anything from the latest, potentially stroke-inducing promotional video from the folks at Major League Baseball, they’re all part of the PR push behind baseball’s hottest commodity: Toronto Blue Jays super-slugger Jose Bautista.

Meant to put all eyes on Bautista—the marquee attraction and odds-on favourite at tonight’s Home Run Derby in Phoenix—the “music video” is titled “Clutch Singles” (you can download the single here, although one listen was more than enough for us) and features a mash-up of some Bautista’s best work at the plate this season, along with what can only be described as some kind of digital-recording wizardry courtesy of Grammy-nominated producer Alex Cantrall.

Say what you will about the, um, quality of the programming—but, hey, at least MLB is trying. And honestly, we can’t remember the last time a Blue Jay got this kind of league-wide attention—the bitter truth is that American sports leagues aren’t exactly known for getting behind players playing for a Canadian television audience. Nonetheless, the hype around Bautista is clearly warranted. He added two more jacks this weekend to his major league–leading tally (now 31 and counting), including the game-winner in extra innings on Saturday night in Cleveland. When it comes to promoting the Jays slugger, we’re much bigger fans of MLB’s previous work, not to mention this homegrown campaign. But, hey, two out of three ain’t bad.