Jay Buhner will work with Seattle Mariners outfielders in a few weeks, but today was here to open the door for a Federal Way company trying to break into the bat market.

Representing the Baden company and their new ax-handled bat – approved by Major League Baseball – the man known as ‘The Bone’  was soon talking baseball, sharing stories and laughter.

By mid-morning, he was sitting in the golf cart driven by general manager Jack Zduriencik, then joined by good friend Ken Griffey Jr.

Combined, Jay and Junior hit more than 700 home runs as Mariners, and only seemed to have that many teammates on Seattle teams that regularly changed rosters.

The two told stories that had Zduriencik – normally a stoic fellow – laughing out loud down the right field line.

Buhner talked about Bill Plummer accidentally flashng the ‘squeeze’ sign to his third base coach in a bases-loaded, no one out situation – and watching Dave Valle promptly pop up the bunt into a triple play.

And there was the time four of five teammates had to literally hold Buhner on the ground behind the Kingdome dugout because … well … he wanted to kill then-manager Jim Lefebvre.

“I’m glad they did,” Buhner said. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be here today. And neither would Jim.”