Daily Notes, Featuring an AL West Pitchers’ Duel Event
Table of Contents
Here’s the table of contents for today’s edition of Daily Notes.
1. Featured Game: Texas at Seattle, 22:10 ET
2. Other Notable Games (Including MLB.TV Free Game)
3. Today’s Complete Schedule
Featured Game: Texas at Seattle, 22:10 ET
An Unavoidable Fact Regarding This Game
An unavoidable fact regarding this game is that it features very famous right-handed pitchers Yu Darvish (52.0 IP, 88 xFIP-, 1.2 WAR) of Texas and Felix Hernandez (62.2 IP, 80 xFIP-, 1.7 WAR) of Seattle.
Regarding Where “Of Texas,” Specifically
The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, specifically. The city of Arlington, even more specifically than that.
Regarding Where “Of Seattle,” Specifically
The SoDo neighborhood, specifically. (South of Dome or Downtown, that means.)
Another Unavoidable Fact Regarding This Game
Another unavoidable fact regarding this game is that it features, in Texas, the American League’s best offense (120 wRC+ as of Sunday) and, in Seattle, its second-worst offense (84 wRC+).
Regarding What’ll Probably Happen
In terms of what’ll probably happen, Darvish will probably allow zero or one runs and Hernandez will probably allow, like, two or four runs or something. Then the Rangers bullpen, which leads the league both in xFIP and WAR, will finish the game without incident.
What’ll Definitely Happen
In terms of what’ll definitely happen is, is the above prediction will be incorrect.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast
FanGraphs readers prefer Texas Radio (link).
Other Notable Games
Kansas City at New York AL | 19:05 ET
Right-hander Felipe Paulino, who starts tonight for the Royals, has been excellent since returning from a forearm injury and the subseiquent rehab. Line so far: 18.2 IP, 28.0% K, 6.7% BB, 43.8 GB%, 2.78SIERA, 67 xFIP-, 0.7 WAR.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Kansas City Radio.
Los Angeles NL at Arizona | 21:40 ET ***MLB.TV Free Game***
Of note: as of Sunday, A.J. Ellis had the same WAR as Matt Kemp (2.2) in fewer plate appearances. In fact, Ellis had the 10th-best WAR in the majors.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Arizona Radio.
Today’s Complete Schedule
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.
Regard, a magnificent and sortable table:
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay Buchholz | BOS | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | BAL | Tommy Hunter | 19:05 |
| Felipe Paulino* | KC | 9 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | NYA | Hiroki Kuroda | 19:05 |
| Johan Santana | NYN | 7 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | PIT | Erik Bedard | 19:05 |
| Gio Gonzalez | WAS | 10 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | PHI | Kyle Kendrick | 19:05 |
| Mike Minor | ATL | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | CIN | Mike Leake | 19:10 |
| Jamie Moyer | COL | 3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | MIA | Mark Buehrle | 19:10 |
| Kyle Drabek | TOR | 4 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 | TB | Jer. Hellickson | 19:10 |
| Matt Garza | CHN | 7 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 7 | HOU | Bud Norris | 20:05 |
| Mad. Bumgarner | SF | 5 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 | MIL | Randy Wolf | 20:10 |
| Clayton Richard | SD | 5 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 7 | STL | Jaime Garcia | 20:15 |
| Chris Capuano | LAN | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | AZ | Patrick Corbin | 21:40 |
| Jerome Williams | LAA | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | OAK | Tommy Milone | 22:05 |
| Yu Darvish | TEX | 7 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 7 | SEA | Felix Hernandez | 22:10 |
To learn more about Pitcher and Team NERD scores click here.
To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
I’m gonna go ahead and call Yu 6.2IP 5ER 2BB 6K, Felix 9.0IP 1ER 3BB 8K.
That is a very interesting choice. I would guess that switching their lines would be more likely, considering the offenses involved. Regardless, it should be a fun game to watch.
Rangers usually have had success against Felix in the past. Felix owns a career 4.03 ERA against the Rangers in 203.1 IP.
In 16 games over the years in Arlington, the Rangers have managed a .739 OPS against Felix, which is 24% worse than his career line. And he didn’t look good in his last start, so…. Yeah, I’d definitely give the edge to Yu this time around.
If you want to talk pitcher-vs-team splits, I got one for Yu Darvish and the Seattle Mariners right here… let’s forget the notion that the letters on the Rangers’ uniforms somehow make them better against Felix, mmk?
The Rangers are better than the Mariners. Yu Darvish has not yet proven himself to be as good as the King. Let’s leave it at that.
1. Never said Darvish is as good as Felix
2. 5.1 IP sample vs 200+ IP sample…. hmmmmm. Yeah, the two are the same things.
I just got back. Turned on the game. Top of the fifth. Darvish has given up five runs. Are you a genie?
Inning, a BB, and a K off with the King, 2 innings, 4 BB, and a K off with Darvish. No one thought the one true King would beat the small Japanese one!
Pretty close right! Ha to those who doubted the mighty king! And my prediction!
good prediction, man, that was pretty accurate