Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Los Angeles NL at St. Louis | 20:05 ET
Clayton Kershaw (96.1 IP, 46 xFIP-, 3.7 WAR) faces Carlos Martinez (63.0 IP, 100 xFIP-, 0.4 WAR). One will recognize the former as the pitcher to have produced the entirely best park-adjusted xFIP among all starters this season — a figure, his 46 xFIP-, that would represent the best such mark by a qualified starter since 2002 (i.e. as far back as that particular metric is available). Kershaw’s start at St. Louis’s Busch appears likely to be one of only two opportunities this whole season to observe the left-hander pitching in front of a straight-on center-field camera.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: St. Louis Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Seattle at Los Angeles AL | 21:05 ET
Felix Hernandez (144.1 IP, 63 xFIP-, 5.2 WAR) faces Garrett Richards (123.1 IP, 83 xFIP-, 3.2 WAR). After years of exhibiting very excellent armspeed and reasonable control in the minor and then major leagues, the latter has produced a laudable season to date, recording strikeout and walk and ground-ball rates all on the ideal side of average. Richards’ Angels and the opposing Seattlers both currently possess better than 15% odds of qualifying for the divisional series.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Seattle Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
San Francisco at Miami | 19:10 ET
Madison Bumgarner (127.0 IP, 82 xFIP-, 2.1 WAR) faces Nathan Eovaldi (119.2 IP, 106 xFIP-, 2.0 WAR). The pleasures of the former are nearly, if not entirely, conspicuous. Regarding the latter, however, one finds that he currently sits third among 94 qualified pitchers by average fastball velocity (95.7 mph) while also throwing strikes at a rate (66.4%) about a standard deviation better than league average, as well. By way of reference, here are some figures produced by starters who’ve recorded both fastball velocities and strike rates at least a standard deviation better than the mean: 90 xFIP-, 101 ERA-. And among those who lack that distinction: 106 xFIP-, 110 ERA-. All things being equal, not surprisingly, throwing hard strikes is of some benefit to the end of run prevention.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: San Francisco Radio or Television.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Toronto at Tampa Bay | 13:40 ET
R.A. Dickey (119.0 IP, 109 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces David Price (139.2 IP, 69 xFIP-, 2.8 WAR). The former has recorded the second-fastest working pace among 95 qualified pitchers; the latter, the absolute slowest. To suggest that this observation constitutes grounds for a “stirring narrative,” however, would probably represent an instance of overstatement.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Toronto Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Washington at Philadelphia | 19:10 ET
Stephen Strasburg (119.1 IP, 68 xFIP-, 2.7 WAR) faces Cole Hamels (100.1 IP, 89 xFIP-, 1.9 WAR). The latter has prevented runs at a more characteristic rate over his late two appearances. After entering his July 1st start with a 2.63 xFIP and 3.70 ERA, Strasburg has conceded only three earned (and overall) runs over his last 14.2 innings — which is to say, a mark more similar to the latter and not the former of the aforementioned figures.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Washington Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Oakland at Seattle | 22:10 ET
Jeff Samardzija (115.0 IP, 86 xFIP-, 2.4 WAR) faces Felix Hernandez (136.1 IP, 62 xFIP-, 5.1 WAR). One notes, with regard to the latter, that his most recent start — over which he produced an 8:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 55% ground-ball rate — actually served to slightly increase (i.e. make worse) his park-adjusted xFIP. That’s likely the most economical way of indicating that Hernandez is in the midst of an excellent season. A less economical way would be to paint a large portrait of Hernandez astride a pile of corpses, each corpse representing a batter Hernandez had retired this season.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Seattle Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Minnesota at Seattle | 22:10 ET
Yohan Pino (21.2 IP, 105 xFIP-, 0.6 WAR) faces Tom Wilhelmsen (47.0 IP, 96 xFIP-, 0.1 WAR). Following the decision to move Felix Hernandez’s next start back to Friday and, simultaneously, to demote right-hander Taijuan Walker to Triple-A Tacoma, Seattle has decided to use only relief pitchers against Minnesota today. A half-hearted inspection of the internet reveals that the White Sox attempted a nearly similar thing on April 30th of this year (although Hector Noesi, who’d made only relief appearances until that point, has gone on to record only starts since then). Otherwise, the most recent example of such a strategy appears to be that instance last September 1st when Jamey Wright started for Tampa Bay — a game, however, which will have been played just after late-season roster expansion.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Seattle Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Chicago AL at Boston | 19:10 ET
Chris Sale (87.1 IP, 72 xFIP-, 2.9 WAR) faces Rubby de la Rosa (32.1 IP, 75 xFIP-, 0.7 WAR). The former is the best pitcher in the baseball who also resembles a child’s stick-figure portrait of a baseball pitcher. The latter returns to the majors after having compiled a series of five starts in late-May and June over which he recorded strikeout and walk rates of 24.0% and 6.4%, respectively, while also producing an above-average ground-ball rate and while also-also producing one of the league’s highest average fastball velocities.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Boston Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Toronto at Los Angeles AL | 22:05 ET
R.A. Dickey (112.0 IP, 110 xFIP-, 0.6 WAR) faces Tyler Skaggs (84.1 IP, 94 xFIP-, 1.3 WAR). The former, despite continuing to produce less excellent defense-independent numbers than in 2012, still prevents sufficient runs by means of the knuckleball — which baseball pitch famous and droll American painter James McNeill Whistler likely would have praised (had he not died instead) on the grounds that it is equal parts beautiful and amusing.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Toronto Radio.

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Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by viscount of the internet Rob Neyer, and expanded at the request of nobody, NERD scores represent an attempt to summarize in one number (and on a scale of 0-10) the likely aesthetic appeal or watchability, for the learned fan, of a player or team or game. Read more about the components of and formulae for NERD scores here.

Most Highly Rated Game
Houston at Texas | 20:05 ET
Jarred Cosart (100.2 IP, 106 xFIP-, 1.2 WAR) faces Miles Mikolas (5.1 IP, 107 xFIP-, 0.0 WAR). Because he most probably resides within that bubbling cauldron of freedom called the United States, the reader is at liberty to watch, for example, Jake Odorizzi and James Shields face their respective former teams simultaneously in Tampa Bay or Washington-right-hander Stephen Strasburg treat with undue cruelty the Orioles lineup. What this particular game offers, however, is the opportunity to perform invaluable reconnaissance on Texas right-hander Miles Mikolas — which 25-year-old recorded strikeout and walk rates of 20.0% and just 1.6%, respectively, in the PCL this season and apparently also possesses a fastball that sits at 92-93 mph.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Texas Radio.

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