Hitter Of The Decade: Ichiro Suzuki


No mean to disrespect the heavy hitters and 500+ HR hitters active in the Big Leagues, but power alone does not get you in to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Hitting and running is another way to get in. And no one this decade has been a better lead-off hitter than Ichiro Suzuki. The man who brought Japanese-style hitting to the US is just 1 hit shy of MLB career hit number 2,000. 2,000 hits usually puts a player in Hall of Fame contention. But when we add Ichiro's other two major feats - being the first MLB player to ever get 200 hits in 9 consecutive seasons (pending 6 more hits), and 339 steals in 417 attempts - we can argue that he already qualifies for Cooperstown.He has an interesting pose/stance, in which he holds the bat upright with his right hand, while staring between 2nd and 1st base. Usually he will hit a liner between those bases or hit a blooper to the outfield. Not exactly the hits of legend. But he does it game after game, year after year. Also, I don't want to project, but he is the only contemporary hitter who reminds me of the no-nonsense at-bats of Ted Williams. Ichiro will do the pose when he enters the batters box, but he typically wastes no time getting back in the box between pitches (Williams was even better - he would step out, take a breath, and step right back in). With his 28" waist (the same as Williams'), he even resembles Teddy Ballgame as he uses all his muscle groups, from his quads, to his knees, obliques, shoulders, and his wrists, to make 100% contact with the ball. He springs and twists when he hits the ball, very much like Ted (again, Ted was the master of 'rotational hitting'). Perhaps fans unimpressed with the distance of his hits should study his form, because it is both classic and beautiful. He in unintentionally a living example of how American-born players hit the ball generations ago. And I think that's one of the many reasons why he is the big league hitter of the decade.

A Better Form Of Corporate Responsibility: Target Experiments With Wellness Clinics


To this blogger, there seem to be four levels of 'corporate responsibility' actions (also called 'social responsibility' or 'corporate citizenship.')

First, there is external communication, be it posters in a store, a tab on a corporate website, or a print advertisement, announcing what the corporation does to be more responsible. A corporation might be taking actions to consume less energy and produce less waste (Subaru). A company might be investing in wind power to off-set it's consumption of coal-based electricity (Brooklyn Brewery and the new Brooklyn Bowl come to mind).

Second, there is philanthropy, which I consider to be all donations to social, cultural and community organizations that are not designed to act as lobbyists nor expected to promote the company in return. So this would include museums, schools (public or private), hospitals, clinics, and all types of private service organizations that are designed to help people who live nearby (think rehab clinics, domestic violence centers, and career counseling and assistance groups (Dressed for Success comes to mind)). Corporations that have an advanced philanthropy structure (like the late Lehman Brothers) eventually set-up a foundation, and invite employees to contribute to it and have a say on which organizations should receive cash gifts.

Third, there is 'community outreach.' This is usually more difficult to organize than the actives above, but it involves having employees volunteer their time to any number of local activities. In New York City, one of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to have employees join a New York Cares project (cleaning parks and public gardens, running clothing drives, consulting non-profits, tutoring students, etc.).

And fourth, there is the kind of community service that might not have been asked of the company directly, but it was in a position to provide a valuable service from its location(s). That's what we're seeing from Minneapolis-based, Target. Since 2006, Target has been experimenting with affordable health clinics in both Minnesota and D.C. I was surprised to find this, and from the looks of it, they are expanding their services to include flu and hepatitis vaccinations.

When going beyond corporate citizenship lip service, a public health clinic can go a long way to prove that Target actually cares about preventive, afforable health care.

...But Boston Offense Needs To Wake Up

And the starting pitching needs to stabilize....and the bullpen needs to be re-shuffled....and....

When the White Sox scored three runs against Tim Wakefield early in Saturday's game, the damage had been done. The weather was near-optimal for knuckleballs (70 degrees, high humidity). But Wakefield's back was giving him a lot of pain.

The Rod Sox bats should've had a god day against the White Sox, but for the second straight game, they didn't.

Now, the Red Sox really need to win the third game of the series, stop the White Sox winning streak, and put the windy city behind them. Southpaw Jon Lester gets the ball this afternoon.

The Chalkboard Conspiracy Instruction Video

In the last 5 days, Glenn Beck has taken his show to a new level of crazy. He asked his viewers to record and share all five shows this week as they would be the most important he's ever done. He then proceeded, day by day, to work on a chalkboard, drawing how Barack Obama is connected to several former and current left-wing radical individuals and groups.

We're seeing a man lose control of himself and his show. We pinheads call this 'decompensation.'

So one of the 'communist' groups is the MDS, the Movement for a Democratic Society. Young people against war and racism, and for the lifting of the Cuba embargo. According to Beck, this group is a direct descendant of the Weather Underground simply because their name is similar to the Weather Underground's parent group, the SDS, Students for a Democratic Society. As The Young Turks have pointed out, under that methodology, you can link a Dungeons and Dragons fan to any organization with the word 'dragon' in it and take the 'six degrees' game from there.

In the clip above, Mr. Beck failed to mention that he is focusing his efforts on Van Jones because Jones' organization was the largest besides Media Matters that protested Beck's remark on Fox News that Obama is a 'racist.' It's just a personal vendetta that has morphed into pure paranoia.

Want more crazy? Here's a truckload of crazy. A record three million viewers and I saw this while flying back to New York and it hit me just how far off the rails Glenn Beck has gone. He's referring to a 2008 speech Obama made, suggesting that the Peace Corps and Americorps be expanded so that young Americans can act as positive ambassadors for their country. Glenn Beck runs with Obama's words to make it appear that Obama was proposing the formation of a domestic fascist police force (like the Brownshirts or the SS).

And:

Followed by:

Even more crazy? Glenn brought it today, August 28th. He is convinced that GE/NBC/MSNBC, plus the Obama administration and liberal bloggers are out to destroy him. Making the technological leap from a chalkboard to a whiteboard, Beck decides to fill his show with a psychiatrist offering him some advice on how to deal with his sane critics.

"I'm Not Running Against Anybody"


Exactly, Mayor Mike. You are running uncontested. You bought City Hall. And as the buyer, you should own it. The City has fallen on hard times, and you should fall with it. That's what responsible leaders do.

But no, CEO's usually don't take the fall. They tighten their grip on power. That's what we are witnessing, my fellow New Yorkers. I used to call Bloomberg an 'elephant' because he was a Republican. Now he's just a power hungry little bitch, or as Christopher Hitchens described, a little putz.

I realize that the mayor was trying to say that he is not engaging in a personal battle. He's not running against anyone in particular at this time, as the Democratic primary is September 15th. But he made a slip, and said he wasn't running against anyone. This isn't the first time the mayor has let his true feelings slip out in public.

Meanwhile real politicians, who roll-up their sleeves and fight for change and justice, are forced to sit this election out, because they know Bloomberg will destroy them. Not just in an election, but possibly financially and professionally.

Smart New Yorkers didn't ask for a Big Daddy with Rudy Giuliani. And they didn't ask for a Mayor for Life with Bloomberg. Obviously a healthy democracy in New York City has not existed for decades and will not be returning anytime soon.

It's a good thing that New York City mayor is a dead-end job. It usually marks the end of one's political life. I think that factored into Anthony Wiener's decision not to run this year. He would rather save the mayor title for the end of his political career. Right now, Wiener is in his prime as a US Congressman.

Michael Bloomberg is living proof that I am not biased in favor of fellow Bostonians, or fellow Bostonians born at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. The man is a cancer on this city. But of course, I undestnd that if it was not Bloomberg, it would be some other former CEO who would anchor himself at City Hall. I just think that Mike Bloomberg is possibly the worst thing to come of out Brookline, ever.

The Most Frustrating Season Since...?


2000 maybe? 1998? It's been a while since a Red Sox team put-up such impressive numbers and yet is in danger of not making the playoffs.

After being swept by the Texas Rangers in Arlington, in a series reminiscent of the season-crushing defeats in Arlington in 2001, I thought the season was over. I wanted to declare the 2009 Red Sox dead. But I am hesitant. Why?

The Red Sox have two injured starting pitchers - Wakefield and Matsuzaka. That has to be taken into account.

Furthermore, the apparent lack of passion and anger from these Red Sox is not a sign that the team lacks heart. I still see Ortiz dishing out customized high-fives and smiling. I still see Jason Bay focus at each at bat. And while the Red Sox haven't had an epic brawl, comeback, or dramatic walk-off this season (at least I don't recall a walk-off home run this season), they have remained cool and professional, much like their arch rivals in New York. There have been no off-field distractions. Even the news that David Ortiz was on the juice didn't rock the clubhouse. There hasn't been anything similar to Jurassic Carl circa 2001. Besides being swept in two recent series, there haven't been any other major bad news.

So the Red Sox still have a good chance to secure the Wild Card. And they can do it by being as close to perfect at home as possible. And that task re-boots tonight as the penultimate series against the Yankees begins.

It's on. Their fate is still in their hands.

MSNBC: Combating The Crazy

Lawrence O'Donnell restrains himself from flattening a typical right-wing attendee of a congressional town hall meeting,

Chris Matthews interviews a more informed protester, William Kostric, who might be the first man to protest the president while carrying an exposed weapon in many many decades.

WBCN Goes Digital-Only


I wish I had learned about this sooner. But news in Boston seldom travels out of the city (unless it's an embarrassing episode involving Mayor Menino).

Boston's most legendary rock radio station, WBCN, ended its 41-year analog broadcast run just after midnight on Wednesday, August 12th (here's how the station went out). The station will continue to stream classic and alternative rock from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s on HD digital radio and the Internet. It is most easily accessed on iTunes, in the Radio folder, under the 'rock' category.

I worked at WBCN's original Boylston Street location in the summer of 1993 as a sales / copywriting intern. I was in the only office with windows, facing north, overlooking the brick and mint green facade of Fenway Park. I mostly did traffic reports and put together media kits. But eventually, I got to cover the switchboard (Peter Wolf once called with, 'Hey this is Peter Wolf, who's this?'), write a couple of radio commercials, and attend a Lansdowne Street block party to send off Mayor Ray Flynn, who was chosen by Bill Clinton to become ambassador to the Vatican ('natch).

It was an unforgettable summer...to be 20 years old and working (albeit part-time) at the most popular radio station in Boston, a city that was undergoing a healthy economic, cultural, and architectural boom that continued into this decade. The current stream at WBCN captures a lot of songs from that era by such bands as Stone Temple Pilots, The Breders, Radiohead, The Smashing Pumpkins and so many others. I love my XM Radio, both in my car and online, but I do hope CBS Radio keeps WBCN alive online. The online stream acts as a kind of live memorial or historical archive (the classic WBCN station ID's from the 1990s continue to be used). I can see CBS shutting it down in a few years. But until then, we have a fairly good rock radio stream that captures the 90s rock revivl (the 'alternative rock' era).

It was Boston's first full-time contemporary rock station. It was the first commercial US radio station to play U2 songs. And it had the best morning show (The Big Mattress) for 28 years.

Just listen to the voices in this MP3 clip that closed out the analog broadcast.

Youkilis' Charge: Spark Or Stupidity?




Kevin Youkilis sent a strong message last night. He's had enough of being hit, intentionally or not. Last night was the 8th time Youk's been hit by a pitch.

In an unusual charging of the mound, Youkilis threw his helmet and attempted to tackle 20 year-old rookie pitcher Rick Porcello. Porcello's teammates were taken by surprise by Porcello's errant throw and were late in defending their pitcher from Yuokilis' charge. A heavy suspension is likely for Kevin Youkilis, who has proven himself to be the best third baseman for the Red Sox for the remainder of this season and into the future.Was it necessary or pointless? Helpful or harmful? Unavoidable or not? Let the debate simmer this week.

Red Sox July Report: The Wheels Come Off

Yes, they won last night, but the Red Sox season is over. This team had a lot going for it - a strong bullpen, a good (not stellar) offense, and the second best record in baseball. And that's how it was April through the All Star Break.

Then the wheels came off. The Sox tied their second worst losing streak in a century. The other season that featured a crushing six-game losing streak was 2006, when that losing streak knocked them out of playoff contention). But what alarmed me more than the consecutive losses was that the team was exposed as having no drive, no heart, perhaps even no soul.

No casual fan knows what goes on in the clubhouse, on the flights, or in the hotels. But the impression I got last week was that the 2009 Red Sox didn't seem to have as much fun as they used to in previous years. What was missing? The pranks? The nicknames? The off-duty bloopers and antics? Are we fans just not seeing how easy and loose this team is off the field? Could they really be souless corporate types like the Yankees? We can only guess.

But we do know that the losing streak occurred just a couple of weeks after the Red Sox made a risky deadline trade. The Sox traded long reliever / swing man Justin Masterson for the Indians' Victor Martinez. A risky move. While Martinez has given the Red Sox much needed offensive help, losing Masterson could be a contributing factor behind Boston's disastrous six-game losing streak at the hands of division rivals. Boston knew that a late season trade would involve them giving-up Josh Bard, Clay Buchholz, or Jusin Masterson, and they went with their proven long reliever.

Abruno over at Sox & Dawgs warned against trading Masterson.

While falling out of the AL East race is painful and embarrassing, it is still not yet mid August. One long win streak (or a string of streaks) can get the Red Sox back into the AL East hunt. Also remember the Yankees could also drop if one of their starting pitchers (especially AJ Burnett or Joba Chamberlain) is injured.

And then there are the intangibles that could happen to revive the Sox. We know that Kevin Youkilis and Jason Varitek are leaders on that team. They are not going to suffer any meltdowns. If there is a flashpoint, or some emotional event that the Sox and their team leaders can use to start a rally, they will most likely take advantage of it. I don't see fire in them yet, but they have over a week to clear their heads, win a few games, and earn a chance to reel-in the Yankees when they visit Fenway on August 21st.

The Ashes, Forth Test: Australia Level Series


And it was a swift, dominating win by Australia. The match was lost for England on the first day, when they lost all wickets for just 102 runs.

So now the fifth and final test at the Oval will be the rummer match of the series. Winner take all (or a draw, I assume, will allow Australia to retain the Ashes). It shouldn't be gloom & doom time for England. There are ways for them to win this final test, at one of their most favorite venues.

A Green Way to Dump Low-Tech Electronics (NYT Tuesday Edition)


In an on-going discussion, here is an article from the New York Times this past Tuesday that gets to the heart of one facet of the closed-loop (cradle-to-cradle) systems that will become of the utmost importance going forward. Businesses that "make" goods eventually will be required to build into their business plans what happens to their goods when their useful lives are complete. Some companies such as Apple, Herman Miller, and Milliken Carpets are already working at honing this responsibility.

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