It's Lasorda's duty, Judy

Despite this banner ad, this blog entry is not sponsored by Tommy Lasorda. But if you really want to get under the skin of, say, someone you know who's a Giants fan, Lasorda will help do it.

The Dodgers' Hall of Fame former manager has been hired as the focal point of the 2006 Major League Baseball postseason ad campaign that features three different TV commercials and plenty ofprint, radio, internet and mobile phone spots that try to "ignite fans' passion for the playoffs," according to the MLB press release.

You can check 'em out at Lasorda's MLB blog by clicking on the right links.

One of the first things you can do is email a condolence letter to a fan of a team that failed to make the playoffs, complete with a photo of Lasorda, decked out in full Sinatra tux gear, looking as if he could use a Bromo:

The three television spots each open with Lasorda stepping into extreme fan situations that capture the "wanting to run and hide" feeling that every fan has experienced at one point or another. With perfectly delivered dry wit, Lasorda shares a "tough love" message with fans; like one who has climbed into a tree to hide once his team was eliminated from postseason play. In another spot he declares: "Real fans don't hide in October. They celebrate it!"

Tommy's "tough love" messages will appear throughout the postseason in creative ways including beverage coasters and electronic condolence cards that he hopes fans will use to help him spread the word: "It's October! I live for this! You live for this! The World lives for this! To the TV!"

And if you didn't see Lasorda come on during the fourth inning of the Dodgers-Giants telecast on Fox (while the Dodgers were leading 3-2 with two out), they played one of the small ads in the bottom right corner of the screen with a cartoon version of Lasorda saying: "Watch the postseason on Fox! It's October! It's your duty, Judy."

"It's your duty, Judy?" play-by-play man Josh Lewin asked. "That's the new catch phrase we're going with?"

You got somethin' else brewin', Lewin?