The most recent acquisition by the Getty Museum.

Featured Game
Los Angeles Americans (5) at Seattle (0) | 22:10 ET
• The Angels’ playoff run remains interesting enough to render the Mariners watchable.
• In case you missed it, Mike Trout did disgusting things to the baseball last night.
• He also hit two home runs.
• (Wocka. Wocka.)
• Starters: Dan Haren (194.2 IP, 20.4% K, 3.5% BB, 43.1% GB, 81 xFIP-) at Felix Hernandez (200.1 IP, 23.7% K, 7.5% BB, 48.0% GB, 79 xFIP-).

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Mariners Radio, I guess. (Anyone have thoughts on Angels Radio? I’m not familiar with it.)

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.6.

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This Angels fan is like, ¿Dónde está Mike Trout?

Featured Game
Los Angeles Americans (6) at Seattle (0) | 22:10 ET
• The attentive reader will note that, somehow, Jerome Williams is responsible for what is
• Williams, since his return to the majors: 9.1 IP, 20.0% K, 0.0% BB, 31.3% GB, 2.98 SIERA, 3.01 xFIP, 75 xFIP-.
• He also has, inexplicably, an 18.8% swinging-strike rate. (League-average is somewhere around 8-9%, depending on role.)
• In other news, Mike Trout hasn’t started either of the last two games, despite looking very good since his recall.
• Here’s the average Halos Heaven comment on the matter: “Argh.”

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Mariners Radio.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.1.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is something Aaron Hill can still do, apparently.

Featured Game
Colorado (5) at Arizona (8) | 21:40 ET
• Despite their probably more compelling playoff implications, neither the Angels’ nor Giants’ games are particularly watchable tonight.
• On account of it would necessitate watching the Mariners and Cubs, is one reason.
• Another is how the author, personally, is Angels-ed and Giants-ed out at the moment.
• What’s that, my fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Terry? I can’t make a verb out of Angels and Giants?
• Sorry, lady. Appears as though I just did.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Diamondbacks Television?

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.5.

Read the rest of this entry »

Like Paul Scheer on that one episode of Parks and Rec, the Angels KaBoom-ed It last night.

Featured Game
Los Angeles Americans (6) at Texas (7) | 20:09 ET
• After last night’s Angel victory — which included five Angel home runs — these two teams are separated by just two games in the AL West.
• Per Cool Standings, the Angels’ and Rangers’ odds of making the postseason are 29.7% and 71.0%, respectively.
• Notable thing: of all the players from last night’s game, Ranger (and former Angel) Mike Napoli actually had the highest WPA, at .137.
• He did also have an error and passed ball, too.
• Finally, Mike Trout Watch. Last night: 5 PA, 0 K, 0 BB, 1 HR. Since re-recall: 20 PA, 2 K, 1 BB, 2 HR.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.4.

Read the rest of this entry »

Photo courtesy author’s personal space camera.

Featured Game
Los Angeles Americans (5) at Texas (7) | 20:05 ET
• AL West Watch: after last night’s game between the two teams (an 11-7 Ranger win), the Angels are 3.0 games behind the Rangers in the AL West.
• Playoff Odds Watch: per Cool Standings, the Angels’ and Rangers’ postseason odds are at 79.6% and 21.2%, respectively.
• Mike Trout Watch: (since his recent promotion) 16 PA, 2 K, 1 BB, 1 HR.
• Hurricane Watch: hurricane-y?
• Author Watch: generally vertical.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Rangers Radio.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.9.

Read the rest of this entry »

“What is art?” no tolerable person ever asks.

Featured Game
Los Angeles Americans (5) at Texas (7) | 20:05 ET
• A lot of people don’t know that, when he wrote the first draft of his “Drugs sell themselves” joke, Chris Rock actually first used “Friday night’s Angels-Rangers game” instead.
• He was like, “Angels-Rangers sells itself.”
• “It’s not an encyclopedia. It’s not an effing vacuum cleaner.”
• “You don’t really gotta try to sell Angels-Rangers,” etc.
• I mean, why would I lie about this?

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Rangers Radio.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.1.

Read the rest of this entry »

Neither the author, nor this doctor in post-apocalyptic London, know precisely what to tell you.

Featured Game
Red Sox (10) at Texas (8) | 20:05 ET
• Each of today’s three most highly rated games comes with a caveat.
• For example: if you watch Braves-Cubs, you have to watch the Cubs.
• And also: if you watch Diamondbacks-Nationals, you have to watch John Lannan pitch.
• Continuing on: if you watch Astros-Giants, you have to watch the Giant offense.
• Honestly, I’ll probably watch Red Sox-Rangers — on account of Ian Kinsler and Jacoby Ellsbury and and the AL West race and some other reasons.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Anything But Rangers Television.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.0.

The following Game Scores include the new and improved playoff-odds adjustment, which you can learn about in your brain by clicking here.

Read the rest of this entry »

With its stunning views and trademark architecture, Santorini would really impress Alexei Ramirez.

Featured Games (With an Ess)
Chicago Americans (3) at Los Angeles Americans (5) | 22:05 ET
San Diego (6) at San Francisco (3) | 22:15 ET
• The West Coast appears to be the best coast in terms of watching baseball tonight.
• With a win last night — and a Ranger loss — the Angels are 3.5 back now in the AL West.
• With a loss last night — and a Diamondback win — the Giants are 2.0 games back in the NL West.
• The White Sox — eh, they have the advantage of being able to make October travel plans.
• Like to the beautiful Greek island of Santorini, for example.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: White Sox Television and Giants Radio.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.3.

Read the rest of this entry »

What Matt Cain would look like with just a single, metal leg. And no head. Or arms.

Featured Game
San Diego (6) at San Francisco (3) | 22:15 ET
• Matt Cain has continued his trend this year of inducing lower-than-average BABIPs (.267) and HR/FBs (3.6%).
• He’s also, this season, posting what would be a career best strikeout differential (i.e. K%-BB%) of 13.8%.
• So, that’s in terms of Matt Cain.
• In terms of the Giants, who’re a game behind Arizona now, here’re their playoffs odds per Cool Standings and Our Mortal Enemy, respectively: 38.8% and 77.4%.
• And here are their odds per my wife, who’s watched precisely three innings of baseball this year: 47.0%.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Giants Radio.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.8.

The following Game Scores include the new and improved playoff-odds adjustment, which you can learn about in your brain by clicking here.

Read the rest of this entry »

Tampa Bay’s Desmond Jennings will use his sunbeam superpower to unsettle Justin Verlander.

Featured Game
Detroit (2) at Tampa Bay (7) | 19:10 ET
• Justin Verlander, first among AL pitchers in SIERA (2.75) and WAR (6.2), pitches tonight for a Detroit team that improved its playoff odds either to 69.1% or 79.2% last night, depending on which methodology you prefer.
• Owing to how the center-field camera at Tropicana Field is one of the league’s better ones, tonight represents an opportunity to get all familiar-like with Verlander’s stuff.
• Apropos said stuff, here’s what Verlander throws according to Pitch F/x: fastball (45.6%), curveball (18.8%), changeup (18.2%), slider (8.6%), two-seamer (8.8%).
• Per pitch-type runs (which buckets four- and two-seam fastballs together), literally all those pitches are worth more than a run per 100 thrown.
• Literally literally. Not fake literally.

MLB.TV Audio Feed: Tampa Bay Television.

Also Playing
Here’s the complete schedule for all of today’s games, with our very proprietary watchability (NERD) scores for each one. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and RotoWire. The average NERD Game Score for today is 5.3.

Read the rest of this entry »