Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Featured Game: Arizona at Washington, 19:05 ET
2. Other Notable Games (Including MLB.TV Free Game)
3. Today’s Complete Schedule
4. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Atlanta Radio

Featured Game: Arizona at Washington, 19:05 ET
Regarding a Question the Reader Might’ve Asked
A question the reader might’ve asked aloud regarding Ross Detwiler — who starts tonight for Washington — is, “What’ve you done with Ross Detwiler, Ross Detwiler?”

Regarding Why the Reader Might’ve Asked That
For comic effect, probably.

Regarding Why the Reader Might’ve Also Asked That
The reader might’ve also asked that question, on account of this is the line Detwiler has posted through four starts: 22.0 IP, 21.8% K, 6.9% BB, 66.1% GB, 2.93 SIERA, 82 xFIP-, 0.4 WAR.

Regarding How Those Numbers Compare to Detwiler’s Career Numbers
They represent a considerable improvement — to the point where one is forced to italicize the word considerable for appropriate effect.

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Featured Game: Los Angeles NL at Colorado, 15:10 ET
2. Other Notable Games (Including MLB.TV Free Game)
3. Today’s Complete Schedule
4. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Baltimore Radio

Featured Game: Los Angeles NL at Colorado, 15:10 ET
A Note on Who’s Starting for Los Angeles
Left-hander Clayton Kershaw is starting for Los Angeles.

Regarding Some Things the Reader Likely Knows About Clayton Kershaw
In terms of Clayton Kershaw, the reader is likely aware that (a) he was the Cy Young of the National League last year, that (b) he was also among the National League leaders in pitcher WAR, and that (c) both his fastball and slider are among the best pitches in the majors.

Regarding a Thing the Reader Might Not Know About Clayton Kershaw
The reader might not know that Clayton Kershaw is one of only five pitchers (along with R.A. Dickey, Stephen Strasburg, Cole Hamels, and Jeff Samardzija) who currently possess a perfect 10 according to NERD — i.e. the made-up stat that, according to the present author, measures the likely aesthetic appeal (or, watchability) of a player or team or whatever.

Regarding to What Degree You Should Trust Said Author
Probably not that much, actually.

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Featured Game: Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 20:15 ET
2. Other Notable Games (Including MLB.TV Free Game)
3. Today’s Complete Schedule
4. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Boston Radio

Featured Game: Pittsburgh at St. Louis, 20:15 ET
Regarding What a Person Could Assume About Adam Wainwright
A person — even a person with, like, a degree from an important liberal arts college and health insurance through his work — even that sort of person could reasonably assume that, owing to how Adam Wainwright (tonight’s starter for St. Louis) has conceded 16 runs in 19.2 innings (i.e. has posted a 7.50 ERA), that Wainwright has pitched poorly this season.

Regarding What Is More Likely the Case
It’s more likely the case that, owing to his excellent defense-independent numbers (24.1% K, 5.8% BB, and 52.5% GB in 19.2 IP), that Adam Wainwright has performed like a pitcher who would normally allow fewer than three earned runs per nine innings.

Regarding Wainwright’s Numbers, Career-Wise
Here’s how some of Wainwright’s current defense-independent numbers would compare to past years for him:

• Strikeout Rate: Career-High
• Walk Rate: Career-Low
• Ground-Ball Rate: Career-High

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Important Announcement: NERD Is Now Available
2. Featured Game: Arizona at Miami, 12:40 ET
3. All of Today’s Games

Important Announcement: NERD Is Now Available
Important Announcement
There’s an important announcement everyone needs to hear and it’s that NERD, in all its forms, is now available for the 2012 season.

Regarding What Is NERD
NERD is the result of an attempt to represent numerically the likely aesthetic appeal of a pitcher, team, game, etc. to the baseball nerd (i.e. you, reading this). Specifically, NERD is a score (on a 0-10 scale) given to pitchers, teams, games, etc. that’s calculated using metrics available here at the site. When pitcher and team scores are combined in game scores, it’s possible to approximate, with at least some accuracy, which games might be of greatest (or least) interest to the baseball nerd.

Regarding How NERD Is Calculated
The formulae for the various NERD scores for 2012 remain mostly unchanged from the iterations that appeared in the One Night Only game previews at the end of last season. Follow these links for the relevant information: Pitcher NERD (scroll down a little), Team NERD.

Regarding NERD Leaderboards
Readers will be able to view NERD leaderboards and laggardboards — along with some notes on minor changes to the weighting and calculation of NERD — in the season debut, this afternoon, of the Leaderboards of Pleasure.

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UPDATE: according to the entire internet, very celebrated prospect Bryce Harper will be making his major-league debut on Saturday. As noted below, Washington plays Los Angeles at 9:10pm ET on Saturday and 4:10pm ET on Sunday.

Below are brief previews for notable weekend games — each including the preferred television feed of FanGraphs readers, per the results of our offseason crowdsourcing project.

Furthermore, for the benefit of those whose viewing options are limited, each day contains a preview for that day’s featured MLB.TV Free Game.

All stats current as of Thursday, except when they’re current as of Friday.

Friday, April 27th
Los Angeles AL at Cleveland | 19:05 ET
• As noted in yesterday’s edition of Daily Notes, which all of America — and probably some of the more important European countries — will have read with rapt attention, the Cleveland Indians entered Thursday with a considerably higher walk rate (13.1%) than even the next-highest team (Tampa Bay, 10.9%).
• Indeed, this trend continued on Thursday (box), with Cleveland walking five times in 38 plate appearances (13.2%) against Kansas City.
• Here are the team leaders in that regard: Carlos Santana (68 PA, 22.1% BB), Travis Hafner (64, 21.9%), and Shelley Duncan (61, 19.7%).
• In light of this stirring information, the reader is certainly forgiven for wanting to regain his breath and/or compsoure.
• After he recovers, however, the reader will also want to know that the starting pitchers for this game are Jered Weaver (29.2 IP, 65 xFIP-, 1.1 WAR) and Justin Masterson (21.2, 116, 0.0).

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Los Angeles AL.

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Brief Previews of Select Games
2. Non-Extant Highlight Video: The Cleveland Indians Walking
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Chicago (AL) Radio

Brief Previews of Select Games
Here are brief previews for three of today’s games — each including the preferred television feed of FanGraphs readers, per the results of our offseason crowdsourcing project. (Information on probable pitchers from MLB.com.)

Kansas City at Cleveland | 12:05 ET
• To those readers who feel truly safe only within the warm embrace of a baseballing broadcast: be apprised that this is the earliest game of the day.
• To those readers who possess particularly low estimations of Josh Tomlin (pitching for Cleveland): note that he’s posted this line through three starts: 16.2 IP, 20.6% K, 1.5% BB, 34.6% GB, 3.01 SIERA, 2.63 xFIP, 65 xFIP-, 0.4 WAR.
• To those readers who’re wondering which team is leading the league in walk percentage, by kinda a lot: it’s Cleveland (13.1%).
• Regarding which team is in second: Tampa Bay (10.9%).
• Regarding who pitches for Kansas City: Luis Mendoza (13.0 IP, 132 xFIP-, -0.2 WAR).

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Kansas City.

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Brief Previews of Select Games
2. Lightly Annotated Video: Jarrod Parker’s Repertoire
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Chicago (NL) Radio

Brief Previews of Select Games
Here are brief previews for four of today’s games — each including the preferred television feed of FanGraphs readers, per the results of our offseason crowdsourcing project. (Information on probable pitchers from MLB.com.)

Houston at Milwaukee | 13:10 ET
• The appeal of this game has less to do with the teams and/or pitchers involved and more to do with the fact that the present author will be in attendance.
• “But Carson,” perhaps a brazen reader is saying aloud, “I fail to see how your presence at the game makes it more appealing to me.”
• To which I respond: “I’m guessing you fail to do a lot of things.”
• And also: “Oh, snap.”
• Pitchers: J.A. Happ (18.0 IP, 102 xFIP-, 0.2 WAR) vs. Shaun Marcum (19.0, 106, 0.2).

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Houston.

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Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Item: More Power Rankings of Power
2. Brief Previews of Select Games
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Cincinnati Radio

Item: More Power Rankings of Power
On Monday, SI.com published the second iteration of its weekly MLB power rankings for 2012. As noted last week (and on Monday’s podcast), the SI power rankings are now arranged by expected winning percentage per FanGraphs WAR.

Here are your top five teams by that criteria (with WAR winning percentage in parentheses):

1. Texas (.838)
2. St. Louis (.782)
3. New York AL (.698)
4. Atlanta (.620)
5. Los Angeles NL (.601)

And bottom five teams:

26. Cincinnati (.382)
27. Minnesota (.370)
28. Chicago NL (.363)
29. Seattle (.351)
30. Pittsburgh (.331)

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UPDATE: With 314 ballots cast (see below), FanGraphs readers believe that the Rangers and Yankees will score a combined 10.46 runs in tonight’s game (7pm ET).

Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.

1. Brief Previews of Select Games
2. Shameless Polling Action: Over/Under on Yankees-Rangers
3. Crowdsourcing Broadcasters: Cleveland Radio

Brief Previews for Select Games
Here are brief previews for four of today’s games — each including the preferred television feed of FanGraphs readers, per the results of our offseason crowdsourcing project. (Information on probable pitchers from MLB.com.)

San Francisco at New York NL | 16:10 ET
• This is the closest thing to afternoon baseball today, and is the first game of a doubleheader between the Giants and Mets, following a rainout of yesterday’s scheduled game.
• Tim Lincecum, subject of much handwringing, starts for San Francisco against Miguel Batista.
• Regard, Lincecum’s defense-independent numbers: 13.2 IP, 23.2% K, 5.8% BB, 45.8% GB, 74 xFIP-.
• Regard, his actual overall numbers: 16 ER, 16 ER, 10.54 ERA, 303 ERA-.
• Regard, in case you haven’t previously regarded it, our most recent piece on Lincecum: History Suggests Tim Lincecum Might Be Just Fine. By Dave Cameron, duh.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: New York NL.

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UPDATE: Toronto’s Drew Hutchison (the fourth-best prospect in the organization entering the season, according to Marc Hulet) will make his major-league debut against Kansas City (Luis Mendoza, 9.2 IP, 136 xFIP-) on Saturday at 19:10 ET. Hulet recently previewed Hutchison’s forthcoming start in more depth. Here’s what the right-hander did so far this year at three Double-A starts: 16.2 IP, 6.48 K/9, 1.62 BB/9, 0.54 HR/9, 3.08 FIP.

Below are brief previews for select weekend games — each including the preferred television feed of FanGraphs readers, per the results of our offseason crowdsourcing project.

Note: all stats are current as of Thursday.

Other note: for the benefit of those whose viewing options are limited, each day contains a preview for that day’s featured MLB.TV Free Game.

Friday, April 20th
Minnesota at Tampa Bay | 19:10 ET
Matt Moore makes his third start of the season. To the surprise of many — including the handsome author — he currently possesses the highest xFIP (6.09) of the league’s 105 qualified starters, with the fourth-lowest ground-ball rate (27.5%) and fifth-highest walk rate (15.5%) of that same sample… He faces Minnesota’s Liam Hendriks. The right-hander was pretty excellent in his season debut on April 15th. Line: 6.0 IP, 23 TBF, 4 K, 0 BB, 7 GB on 19 batted-balls (36.8% GB), 3.22 xFIP… After finishing last season with the league’s third-worst team wRC+ (84), the Twins are average through their first 12 games, having posted a collective 103 wRC+ (better than Detroit’s 102 wRC+, for example). Leaders: Josh Willingham, 225 wRC+ (.379 BABIP) and 0.7 WAR; Denard Span, 138 wRC+ (.400 BABIP) and 0.4 WAR; and Justin Morneau, 153 wRC+ (.286 BABIP) and 0.4 WAR… Tampa Bay features one of the league’s better center-field camera angles, although the pleasure provided by said camera is mitigated by the shadowy interior of Tropicana Field.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Tampa Bay.

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