Mariners: It’s Time For Ichiro to GO.

English: Ichiro Suzuki on June 10, 2009.

Seattle Mariner iconic right-fielder and lead-off hitter Ichiro Suzuki, who is more commonly known only by his first name much like Madonna and Cher, has given Northwest baseball fans eleven years of exciting baseball. He’s won awards, broke records, and solidified a spot for himself in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame following his retirement. But his play this and last season show that he’s done. He’s fallen and given his age of 38 it’s safe to say he won’t get up.

It’s early June and the Mariners are seven games below .500. Not all that bad given they’ve had to endure the worst schedule in MLB, playing more road games than any other team…including a trip to Japan. Ichiro started the year as the team’s number 3 hitter; a spot usually reserved for the teams best batsman. At the start of the year it seemed like a worthy experiment. But after two months Ichiro’s diminished batting average and total lack of power necessitated his move last week back to his familiar lead-off position in the batting order.

The problem is Ichiro is not the familiar player who slapped singles and occasionally doubles and triples all around the ballpark, and beat out infield hits, and stole bases on a regular basis. Last year’s drop in average to .271 was dramatic for a lifetime .300+ hitter. And wishful fans AND Mariner management hoped it was a one season anomaly created largely by the inept hitting around the great Japanese ball player. Despite two hits in last night’s win over the LA Angels Ichiro’s .259 average and .290 on-base percentage show that it wasn’t an anomaly, but a trend. Hitting .259 with an OBP of only .290 would make Ichiro one of the worst lead-off hitters in baseball. Such averages are more deserving of a spot 7th, 8th or 9th in the line-up.

Ichiro is making $18-million dollars this year. But his contract is up at the end of the season. Knowing the Mariner’s history they’ll want to re-sign him and let him retire having only played for Seattle in his MLB career. I’d be all for it if not for the team’s reluctance to do anything that might upset their ego-maniacal star. And if Manager Eric Wedge can’t bring himself to put the team first and lower Ichiro’s position in the batting order NOW when several acceptable alternatives are available for the team’s lead-off spot, what makes you think he will do the right thing next year. Do you really want another Ken Griffey Jr. situation?

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Junior was brought back to the team in 2009 to end his career with the city and team that launched his Hall of Fame career. In spite of hitting a paltry .214 with little power, the nostalgia loving Mariner management team brought him back for the 2010 season. It was a disaster. Griffey was old. His interest level in playing was clearly diminished. He couldn’t bring his average above the proverbial Mendoza Line (.200) and he had even less power than in 2009. After being benched in mid-May Griffey left the team in a huff, announcing his retirement in a letter to management and leaving town without another word to anybody. The team suffered with and without him and proceeded through one of the worst seasons in team history, losing over 100 games.

The same ugly fate awaits Ichiro if Mariner management can’t do the right thing. He must be shown respect. And he must be shown the door. If they can get anything for him (and by anything I mean a bag of baseballs would suffice, given his age, his stats, and his contract) they should trade him to a contender by the July 31 trade deadline so Ichiro has a chance to end his career with a winner. Or, they should let him play out this season honorably. Then profusely thank him for his service and say goodbye. Then plan on a new right-fielder in 2013. Then, and only then can this young and improving Mariner’s team have a chance at contention.

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June 7, 2012
Categories: Sports, Washington State . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: 1 Comment

D-Day Anniversary- 68 Years Later

English: President Ronald Reagan and President...

English: President Ronald Reagan and President Francois Mitterrand of France attend a wreath-laying ceremony at the American cemetery at Omaha Beach. The ceremony is part of the 40th anniversary of D-day, the invasion of Europe. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

On this day in 1984 President Ronald Reagan spoke beautifully of the importance of the Allied invasion of Europe and the defeat of tyranny imposed by the evil Nazi regime.

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June 6, 2012
Categories: Uncategorized . Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on D-Day Anniversary- 68 Years Later

Mayor Bloomberg- Nanny in Chief

Michael Bloomberg - Caricature

Michael Bloomberg

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to ban the sale of soft drinks, sodas, in containers over sixteen ounces. He says it’s not good for us. He says the sale and consumption of these super-extra-large sugary beverages is a contributing factor in our nation’s obesity epidemic. He says he only wants to do right by you. (In fairness to Bloomberg I have no idea whether he said these exact words. But the sentiment is certainly implied)

My response to this gesture of help and support for New York City’s throngs? It’s none of your damned business what I put in my mouth Mr. Bloomberg. And it’s also none of your damned business what legal product my company sells to individuals willing to part with their own money and make it my money. Butt out.

Liberals from NY to SF (San Francisco) continue to propose laws, rules, and ordinances with the intent of taking good care of you, apparently because you can’t take care of yourself. We now have laws governing or prohibiting smoking tobacco or marijuana, trans fatty acids, and increasingly sugar.

A story, not too long ago, told of a Federal bureaucrat from the Department of Health and Human Services prohibiting a four-year old from eating their homemade lunch at her kindergarten class because it didn’t meet Federal standards for a healthy lunch. What was in the lunch, you may ask? Chunks of glass, glue on toast, and to wash it all down a thermos of Liquid Plumber? No. This dangerous lunch, made by the child’s mother, contained a turkey-meat and cheese sandwich, a banana, potato chips, and apple juice. Conservatives and Libertarians continue to warn us all that at some point government control over our lives is going to go to far. Ladies and Gentlemen I offer you Exhibit A for the argument IT ALREADY HAS. 

English: A Portrait of Thomas Jefferson as Sec...

English: A Portrait of Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

None other than the author of The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, said of big government and government control:

“My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government”

Jefferson also said, “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have”

You may say, calm down this is all for your own good. Too much soda is bad for you. I agree that too much carbonated soft drinks are bad for me, which is why I exercise my personal liberty, my right, and never buy a “Super-Sized” soft drink. But remember when everyone, and I MEAN EVERYONE, told us that salt in any amounts was bad for us and would increase our likelihood of high blood pressure and heart disease? Well, it turns out EVERYONE was wrong. The authors of the study wrote: “Our current findings refute the estimates … of lives saved and health care costs reduced with lower salt intake. They do not support the current recommendations of a generalized and indiscriminate reduction of salt intake.”

The number of times we ALL knew something that proved to be wrong throughout history are innumerable. As late as the early 1900s cocaine was promoted as a healthy medicine. The first recognized authority and advocate for this drug was world-famous psychologist, Sigmund Freud.

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud

Early in his career, Freud broadly promoted cocaine as a safe and useful tonic that could cure depression and sexual impotence.

Jefferson was one of many American heroes to oppose too much government. Abraham Lincoln said, “Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as a heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere. Destroy this spirit and you have planted the seeds of despotism around your own doors. ”

We must overcome this national infection to control people’s lives and do what’s best for them. The only way we can do that is to accept that some people will make poor decisions, including drinking too much “pop”, possibly leading to obesity. It is every American’s individual right to be obese. It is every American’s individual right to fail. And all the government control, in the name of caring for our well-being, won’t change the fact that some of us will make bad decisions, and fail. Accept it.

And accepting individual’s rights to fail is not a lack of compassion or love as many liberals would have you believe. Just ask any parent of any teenager if it’s possible to love someone who repeatedly chooses actions against the parent’s will whether its possible to love and feel compassion for that person.

Michael Bloomberg may think he knows what’s better for you and me. But it’s not his place, or his right to do anything about it. Unless there’s this small unknown Amendment to the Constitution which I’m unaware of which says the Government can dictate what you and I eat and drink. Democrats will tell you it falls under the Commerce Clause.

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June 5, 2012
Categories: National Politics . Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on Mayor Bloomberg- Nanny in Chief

5 Best Reasons to Be an Entrepreneur | Inc.com

I love Inc.com, or Inc Magazine. This article really summarizes only some of the reasons why starting your own business is a good idea.

5 Best Reasons to Be an Entrepreneur | Inc.com.

Here are some more reasons:

1. It’s fun!

2. When your company really succeeds you’ll be the one who benefits the most.

3. Personal satisfaction. Is there anything more satisfying than producing results? I think not.

4. What an EGO boost! (Most of the time. Sometimes its a kick in the gut)

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June 4, 2012
Categories: Business . Tags: , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on 5 Best Reasons to Be an Entrepreneur | Inc.com

Work Ethic- What it’s done for Me.

“Let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

President of the United States Theodore Roosev...

Theodore Roosevelt

Work ethic, persistence, and a tremendous fear of failure has driven me my entire life to whatever level of success I’ve ever been able to achieve. I wonder how many people still understand that they too are where they are, wherever they are, due almost entirely to their work ethic and persistence.

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.” ~ Michelangelo

I don’t believe my work ethic is that much more than many people. In fact, whatever it is compared to others is completely unimportant to me. On the other hand I believe my persistence can be something others can learn from. I can be quite stubborn.

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

Cropped portion of Abraham Lincoln Photograph,...

Abraham Lincoln

I began my radio career making $600 per month, working 6 days per week in as tiny a radio market as you can imagine in Raymond, WA. Over seven years I moved up and through five different radio stations, constantly increasing my income, until I was on the verge of working in a major market, Seattle. Working in Everett, WA at the now defunct KWYZ Radio 123 taught me I was on the right track. I was a kid amongst radio luminaries. Every on-air person at the station had considerable work experience in Seattle, and other major markets. I was the exception. I had to put in long hours just to keep up, and not look like I didn’t belong. While still not even making $20,000 per year, I was happy.

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” ~ Will Rogers


KWYZ went bankrupt in 1991. Radio 123’s business failure led me into a new career; sales. My wife was 8 months pregnant with our second child and I felt I couldn’t afford to stay on unemployment waiting for the next on-air gig to open that I may or may not land. I often feel our current recession has been made much worse by an unwillingness of many unemployed Americans to change careers like I did, because they were willing to take unemployment for 99 weeks. Starting over again, at the bottom of the barrel ended up leading me to higher income and higher living standards than before.

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” ~ Muhammad Ali

English: Bust portrait of Muhammad Ali, World ...

Muhammad Ali

I made only $22,000 my first year in sales. But I made $30k in year two, $40k in year 3, $50,ooo in year 5 and more every year until year thirteen when I left someone else’s employ and started Total Broadcasting Service. Had I not persisted those first two years when my income was not high, the other higher income may never have come. And my beloved self-employment may never have materialized.

The difference between try and triumph is a little umph.  ~Author Unknown

Total Broadcasting Service made more revenue each of its first four years until the nationwide recession nearly sunk us in 2009. Since 2009 we’ve put together consecutive years of improved sales and nearly halfway through 2012 are on pace for our best year.

And in having taken that detour into sales for 13 years I was led back to the microphone. My voice is now heard regularly all over the country in the radio spots I write and produce, and the narrative I voice in the Total Broadcasting marketing videos we produce. My voice and my written words are now seen and heard by 10s of thousands, possibly 100s of thousands of people each week; far more than how many were aware of me before the necessary detour 20 years ago.

Like many Americans these days, we have struggled the past few years and built up too much credit card debt early in the recession which makes getting healthier and stronger more difficult. I am personally sick and tired of the struggle the past 3-4 years has been. But, not so sick and tired that I can’t persist.

When should YOU quit you may ask yourself in times of despair? Someone once wrote:

“Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you’re alive, it isn’t.” ~ Richard Bach

For me, and maybe for you too, it’s taking too long. But we’ll get there. We’ll persist and work our way through it, happily.

Thanks for visiting. Comments are welcome.

June 4, 2012
Categories: Business . Tags: , , , , , , , , , . Author: Michael Schuett . Comments: Comments Off on Work Ethic- What it’s done for Me.

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