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.

21 Comments
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Josh
11 years ago

I’m gonna go ahead and call Yu 6.2IP 5ER 2BB 6K, Felix 9.0IP 1ER 3BB 8K.

JBV
11 years ago
Reply to  Josh

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.

elijah
11 years ago
Reply to  Josh

Rangers usually have had success against Felix in the past. Felix owns a career 4.03 ERA against the Rangers in 203.1 IP.

joser
11 years ago
Reply to  elijah

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.

ThirteenOfTwo
11 years ago
Reply to  elijah

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.

elijah
11 years ago
Reply to  elijah

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.

JBV
11 years ago
Reply to  Josh

I just got back. Turned on the game. Top of the fifth. Darvish has given up five runs. Are you a genie?

Josh
11 years ago
Reply to  JBV

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!

Josh
11 years ago
Reply to  Josh

Pretty close right! Ha to those who doubted the mighty king! And my prediction!

phillies07_08member
11 years ago
Reply to  Josh

good prediction, man, that was pretty accurate