Everett spices things up in first day at Mariners’ camp

PEORIA, Ariz. – He hadn’t even started his first Mariners workout, and already Carl Everett was spicing up a bland Seattle spring training.

By 8 a.m. Tuesday, minutes after arriving at his new clubhouse, Everett was whooping and churning out jokes. He teased 39-year-old pitcher Dave Burba for looking like the goody-goody player depicted on the league’s posted notice on the proper way to wear a uniform.

Later, the Mariners’ new designated hitter explained why he bought two weeks of spring training lunches for his Montreal teammates in 2004. He paid for catered hot food over the clubhouse cold cuts, because “when you get turkey, you get the whole turkey. Legs, hips, rear end. Everything.”

But there was nothing about dinosaurs. Not yet, anyway.

“That dude’s crazy, man,” said outfielder Matt Lawton, a fellow off-season Seattle import and locker neighbor who spent most of his morning at Everett’s side. “Good luck with HIM.”

On the field, trainers called the players to stretch before for the first full Seattle practice. Everett was using nail clippers to trim his fingernails.

Everett later pantomimed punches into the stomach of new hitting coach Jeff Pentland. Three times, he clowned with a television cameraman. He bellowed cackling, drawn out laughs at Richie Sexson and Adrian Beltre around the batting cage.

The man infamous for once head-butting an umpire, spitting at and grabbing his crotch at Seattle pitcher Jamie Moyer after a home run and claiming dinosaurs never existed had landed with laughs onto his eighth team in 11 major-league seasons.

“Eight teams doesn’t bother me,” the 34-year-old former Marlin, Met, Astro, Red Sox, Ranger, Expo and White Sox said. “That means I’m wanted.”

The Mariners, desperate for a left-handed power hitter, wanted him enough to pay the switch-hitter $3.4 million this season. Seattle also has a club option for 2007.

Everett earned $4 million last season with the World Series champion White Sox. He played in 135 games and batted .251 with 23 home runs and 87 RBIs.

It was the fourth time in his 11-year career he hit at least 20 home runs and drove in at least 80, yet Chicago declined its 2006 option.

Seattle then leaped for a potential spark for its complacent clubhouse and an even more inert offense.

“I heard this team was lax and laid back,” Everett said. “I find they are very humorous and willing to play baseball – so far.

“The tone for me right now is it’s going to be a great year.”

Everett’s first-day tone surprised some Mariners.

“Actually, being with him today, he was one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met,” said Lawton, who has never played with Everett. “He’s going to be great for our clubhouse, keeping guys loose.

“You see some guys with the label ‘Time bomb’ and they are quiet, like they are about to explode. He was great.”

Hold on, Matt. Everett warned those “time bomb” moments may still be coming.

“You’re going to find when I’m not smiling, stay away from me,” Everett said.

“I don’t know what my reputation is. I’ve heard so much from so many different people,” he said. “And, actually, I really don’t care. But the guys in the clubhouse, they know who I am. They are around me more than anybody.”

Everett said he perceived that winning mentality to be lacking from the Mariners last year during their 69-93 season – Seattle’s second consecutive 90-loss year.

” ‘Hope we’re going to win,’ that’s exactly what I saw,” Everett said. “It wasn’t a team that went out to beat you every day.”

Notes

The Mariners signed infielder Roberto Petagine, 34, to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training. … Non-roster catcher Andy Dominique, who sprained his right knee during a pitch-blocking drill Sunday, was sent to the minor-league camp for a week of treatment. … The lone starting position job available is at second base. The candidates are Jose Lopez, non-roster veteran Fernando Vina and multi-position infielder Willie Bloomquist.

Clearing the bases

Former Houston Astros broadcaster Gene Elston was picked to receive the Ford C. Frick Award and will be honored at this summer’s Hall of Fame induction. … Left-hander Eddie Yarnell agreed to a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. … Tino Martinez is joining ESPN as an analyst on “Baseball Tonight.” … First baseman Erubiel Durazo agreed to a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers. … Robert W. Peterson, whose book “Only the Ball Was White” chronicled the story of the Negro leagues, has died from lung cancer and emphysema in Allentown, Pa. He was 80.