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
Tampa Bay at Los Angeles AL | 15:35 ET
David Price (62.2 IP, 67 xFIP-, 1.4 WAR) faces Matt Shoemaker (11.2 IP, 105 xFIP-, -0.1 WAR). After his most recent start, during which he recorded a 12:0 strikeout-to-walk over 9.0 innings while also conceding just a single run at Seattle (box), Price’s run-prevention numbers now more closely resemble his excellent fielding-independent ones. Of note with regard to his opponents, the Angels have thus far produced a park-adjusted batting line, park-adjusted home-run rate, base-running runs total, and defensive-runs figure all about a standard deviation or better than league average.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Tampa Bay 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
Los Angeles NL at Arizona | 20:10 ET
Clayton Kershaw (20.2 IP, 41 xFIP-, 0.8) faces Chase Anderson (5.1 IP, 62 xFIP-, 0.1 WAR). The virtues of the former are manifest. The virtues of the latter aren’t entirely, but largely, summarized by means of the animated GIF below, which animated GIF depicts Chase Anderson’s fantastic changeup.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Los Angeles NL 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
Atlanta at St. Louis | 20:15 ET
Ervin Santana (40.2 IP, 68 xFIP-, 1.1 WAR) faces Lance Lynn (47.0 IP, 91 xFIP-, 0.6 WAR). The former has produced the fifth-best park-adjusted xFIP among the league’s qualified starters thus far, while also having produced the third-most linear-weight runs by means of his slider.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Atlanta or 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
San Diego at Cincinnati | 12:35 ET
Ian Kennedy (49.0 IP, 71 xFIP-, 1.3 WAR) faces Johnny Cueto (63.0 IP, 71 xFIP-, 1.1 WAR). In addition to having produced uncharacteristically excellent defense-independent numbers, the latter has also recorded a 99.5% left-on-base rate. By comparison, league average typically sits at ca. 73%. For further comparison, the best single-season mark among qualified starters since 2002 is 85.2%, care of then-Philadelphian J.A. Happ.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Cincinnati 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
New York AL at New York NL | 19:10 ET
Masahiro Tanaka (49.0 IP, 58 xFIP-, 1.2 WAR) faces Rafael Montero (41.2 IP, 24.1% K, 10.6% BB at Triple-A). The latter, who has typically produced more excellent numbers than one might otherwise expect from his armspeed and build, makes his major-league debut. The former has recorded both the second-best xFIP- and best overall swinging-strike rate among qualified starters.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: New York NL 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
Tampa Bay at Seattle | 22:10 ET
David Price (53.2 IP, 71 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces Hisashi Iwakuma (14.2 IP, 69 xFIP-, 0.4 WAR). The former, despite having recorded an average fastball velocity over 1 mph lower than last year’s mark — which itself was 2 mph lower than his career-high 95.5 mph fastball average in 2012 — the former, despite all that, has pitched brilliantly thus far in 2014. To wit: both Price’s strikeout rate and walk rate are currently better than his previously established career-best marks by those same measures.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Tampa Bay 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
Atlanta at San Francisco | 22:15 ET
Gavin Floyd (7.0 IP, 82 xFIP-, 0.2 WAR) faces Tim Lincecum (35.2 IP, 89 xFIP-, 0.0 WAR). The former was effective against St. Louis last Tuesday in his return to the majors following Tommy John surgery and the subsequent rehab, recording a 5:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 52.6% ground-ball rate in 7.0 inning (box). With regard to the Braves and Giants as clubs, they represent two of the five teams in the National League currently with a greater than 50% chance of qualifying for the divisional series.

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
Arizona at Chicago AL | 14:10 ET
Chase Anderson (39.0 IP, 26.0% K, 4.1% BB at Double-A) faces Hector Noesi (16.1 IP, 98 xFIP-, 0.4 WAR). The former’s difficulties as a starter in Triple-A last season suggest that concerns about his lack of armspeed might be warranted, so far as dealing with advanced hitters is concerned. What Anderson does offer, however, is a changeup that’s probably sweeter than lugduname — which compound (i.e. lugduname) appears to have been developed at the University of Lyon in 1996 and is “220,000 [to] 300,000 times as sweet as sucrose (table sugar).”

An example of said changeup:

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Arizona 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
Chicago NL at Atlanta | 19:10 ET
Jeff Samardzija (50.0 IP, 94 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces Ervin Santana (33.2 IP, 69 xFIP-, 0.8 WAR). A brief inspection of the present site’s leaderboard feature reveals not only that the former has definitely reached the 50-inning threshold this season, but so have 15 other pitchers already. “Like sands through the hour glass,” one is compelled to muse, “so are the games of the 2014 baseball season.”

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Chicago NL 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
St. Louis at Pittsburgh | 19:05 ET
Michael Wacha (42.1 IP, 82 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces Francisco Liriano (37.2 IP, 98 xFIP-, 0.2 WAR). The former has improved upon both the (average-ish) zone and (above-average) swinging-strike rates he recorded last year in about a third of a season’s worth of starts. Of note with regard to Pittsburgh is the performance thus far of Pedro Alvarez. After four consecutive seasons of having recorded strikeout rates between 30% and 31%, the very powerful third baseman has posted just a 21.1% mark in a ca. 150 plate appearances — including walk and strikeout rates of 13.8% and 10.3%, respectively, over the past week.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: St. Louis Radio.

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