Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #435 – Al Clark

By Rick Morris

Mini-Episode #435 of The FDH Lounge features a conversation with former MLB umpire and author Al Clark.

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Lounge on YouTube: Mini-Episode #434 – 2014 NHL season review

By Rick Morris                                          

As we referenced previously, our pals at Sportsology are hooking us up for live segments that we’re doing with guests and remote FDH Lounge Dignitaries these days.  We’re happy to report that we’ve been able to produce many segments on our own, but we’re thrilled for the help on some of these with guests and the thanks all go to our great friend Russ Cohen.

Mini-Episode #434 features a review of the 2014 NHL season with FDH Lounge Dignitary Steve Kallas and with Keith Korneluk of Stick Tap TV.

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MLB power rankings for mid-July

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Rankings from the start of the season to the last installment are in parentheses.

TOP TIER

1 Oakland (1-1-3-1-1)

2 Los Angeles Angels (14-6-6-6-2)

SECOND TIER

3 St. Louis (11-11-7-7-10)

4 Baltimore (16-16-15-13-5)

5 Detroit (8-4-4-5-8)

6 Washington (7-10-11-11-11)

7 Atlanta (3-5-8-8-6)

8 San Francisco (4-3-1-2-9)

9 Seattle (24-19-18-16-7)

10 Los Angeles Dodgers (5-8-10-10-4)

11 Milwaukee (2-2-2-3-3)

12 Pittsburgh (26-24-22-21-15)

13 Cincinnati (15-14-17-17-13)

14 Cleveland (27-26-26-18-19)

15 New York Yankees (13-17-9-15-16)

16 Toronto (19-18-5-4-14)

17 Tampa Bay (21-21-24-28-20)

18 Boston (20-13-19-22-25)

19 Chicago White Sox (18-20-20-20-18)

20 Kansas City (10-9-21-9-12)

21 New York Mets (9-15-16-25-23)

22 Miami (17-12-12-12-17)

23 Arizona (30-28-29-30-29)

24 Minnesota (22-22-23-24-22)

25 Philadelphia (23-27-27-27-28)

THIRD TIER

26 Houston (29-30-28-23-26)

27 San Diego (25-25-25-26-21)

28 Colorado (6-7-14-14-30)

29 Chicago Cubs (28-29-30-29-27)

30 Texas (12-23-13-19-24)

BIGGEST RISERS: Boston and St. Louis (7 spots), Arizona (6 spots), Cleveland and Washington (5 spots), Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: Kansas City and Milwaukee (8 spots), Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego and Texas (6 spots), Miami (5 spots)

RANKINGS BY DIVISION – 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEAM, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST

1T AL WEST 68

1T NL CENTRAL 68

3 AL EAST 70

4 NL EAST 81

5 AL CENTRAL 82

6 NL WEST 96

AL 220

NL 245

2014 FDH MLB All-Stars

By Rick Morris

As is tradition, we bring you our picks for the 2014 MLB All-Star rosters.  First, here’s the actual rosters, courtesy of CBS Sports:

AL Starters (fan vote)

C Matt Wieters, Orioles

1B Miguel Cabrera, Tigers

2B Robinson Cano, Mariners

SS Derek Jeter, Yankees

3B Josh Donaldson, Athletics

DH Nelson Cruz, Orioles

OF Jose Bautista, Blue Jays (leading vote-getter overall)

OF Mike Trout, Angels

OF Adam Jones, Orioles

AL Pitchers

RHP Yu Darvish, Rangers

RHP Max Scherzer, Tigers

RHP Felix Hernandez, Mariners

RHP Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees

LHP Jon Lester, Red Sox

LHP David Price, Rays

LHP Scott Kazmir, Athletics

LHP Mark Buehrle, Blue Jays

LHP Sean Doolittle, Athletics

RHP Greg Holland, Royals

LHP Glen Perkins, Twins

RHP Dellin Betances, Yankees

RHP Koji Uehara, Red Sox*

LHP Chris Sale*

RHP Fernando Rodney*

* Uehara replaces the injured Tanaka.

* Sale won the Final Vote.

* Rodney replaces Price.

AL Reserves

C Salvador Perez, Royals -- will replace Wieters (Tommy John surgery) in the starting lineup

C Derek Norris, Athletics

C Kurt Suzuki, Twins

1B Jose Abreu, White Sox

1B Victor Martinez, Tigers

1B Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays

1B/OF Brandon Moss, Athletics

2B Jose Altuve, Astros

2B Ian Kinsler, Tigers*

SS Alexei Ramirez, White Sox

SS Erick Aybar, Angels*

3B Adrian Beltre, Rangers

3B Kyle Seager, Mariners*

OF Yoenis Cespedes, Athletics

OF Alex Gordon, Royals

OF Michael Brantley, Indians

* Seager was named as a replacement for the injured Encarnacion

* Aybar was named as a replacement for the injured Gordon

* Kinsler was named as a replacement for the injured Martinez.

NL Starters (fan vote)

C Yadier Molina, Cardinals

1B Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks

2B Chase Utley, Phillies

SS Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies

3B Aramis Ramirez, Brewers

OF Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

OF Carlos Gomez, Brewers

OF Yasiel Puig, Dodgers

NL Pitchers

RHP Johnny Cueto, Reds

LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers

RHP Zack Greinke, Dodgers

LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants

RHP Adam Wainwright, Cardinals

RHP Tyson Ross, Padres

RHP Jordan Zimmermann, Nationals

RHP Julio Teheran, Braves*

RHP Craig Kimbrel, Braves

LHP Aroldis Chapman, Reds

RHP Francisco Rodriguez, Brewers

LHP Tony Watson, Pirates

RHP Pat Neshek, Cardinals

RHP Henderson Alvarez, Marlins*

RHP Tyler Clippard, Nationals*

RHP Alfredo Simon, Reds*

RHP Tim Hudson, Giants*

RHP Huston Street, Padres*

* Teheran replaces Jeff Samardzija, who was voted into the game but is ineligible to play following his trade from the Cubs to the Athletics.

* Alvarez replaces the injured Zimmermann.

* Clippard and Simon replaced Cueto and Teheran, who both started Sunday and are ineligible to pitch Tuesday.

* Hudson and Street replace Bumgarner and Ross, who also started Sunday.

NL Reserves

C Jonathan Lucroy, Brewers -- will replace Molina (thumb) in the starting lineup

C Devin Mesoraco, Reds

C Miguel Montero, Diamondbacks*

1B Freddie Freeman, Braves

1B Anthony Rizzo, Cubs*

2B Dee Gordon, Dodgers

2B Daniel Murphy, Mets

SS Starlin Castro, Cubs

3B Todd Frazier, Reds

3B Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

IF/OF Josh Harrison, Pirates

OF Charlie Blackmon, Rockies

OF Hunter Pence, Giants

OF Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins -- will be in starting lineup at DH

* Rizzo won the Final Vote

* Montero was named as a replacement for the injured Molina.

OK, now here’s the changes we would make for the AL, first if we did not have to account for every team being represented.

In the AL, make the following changes to the starting lineup:

C S. Perez (he is in the lineup now, but should have been voted in)

1B Abreu

SS E. Aybar

3B Beltre

OF Brantley (for A. Jones)

Here’s the changes to the AL pitching crew:

Garrett Richards for Perkins

Hisashi Iwakuma for Scherzer

Here’s the changes to the AL bench:

Yan Gomes for Suzuki

Albert Pujols for Donaldson

Melky Cabrera for Jeter

JD Martinez for Cespedes

Kole Calhoun for Gordon

With the scenario of every team having to be accounted for, then do not substitute Gomes for Suzuki.

Now here’s the changes we would make for the NL, first if we did not have to account for every team being represented.

C: Mesoraco

2B: Anthony Rendon (taking the place on the roster of M. Carpenter)

3B: Frazier

OF: Blackmon (for Puig)

Here’s the changes to the NL pitching crew:

Josh Beckett for Bumgarner – Beckett is injured and cannot pitch, so the spot would go to Kyle Lohse

Jonathan Papelbon for T. Ross

Jake Arrieta for Clippard

Rafael Soriano for J. Zimmerman

LaTroy Hawkins for H. Alvarez

Here’s the changes to the NL bench:

Evan Gattis for Montero – Gattis is injured and cannot play, so the spot would go to Buster Posey

Justin Morneau for D. Murphy

Justin Upton for Josh Harrison

Corey Dickerson for Hunter Pence

With the scenario of every team having to be accounted for, make Dillon Gee the substitute for H. Alvarez instead of Hawkins.