Here’s the First Edition of NERD Game Scores for 2017
Below, one finds the first edition of this year’s daily NERD scores. Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by sabermetric forefather 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.
How are they calculated? Haphazardly, is how. An explanation of the components and formulae which produce these NERD scores is mostly available here. Please do not expect to be impressed by any of it.
Most Highly Rated Game
New York NL at Arizona | 21:40 ET
Wheeler (32.1 IP, 92 xFIP-) vs. Godley (12.0 IP, 69 xFIP-)
While Zack Godley’s occasional appearances on a major-league mound might not be universally regarded as “appointment television,” he’s been excellent over two starts this year, recording a swinging-strike rate (14.3%) and ground-ball rate (75.0%) that would rank sixth and first among the league’s 97 qualifiers at this point of the season. As a club, meanwhile, Arizona continues its exemplary baserunning, having recorded nearly twice as many runs as baseball’s second-best club by that measure.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: New York NL Television.
Two Other Brief Notes
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Atlanta at Toronto, starts at 19:07 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Regarding the Top Club by NERD
While pitching hasn’t been a strength for the club, Milwaukee’s offense has been one of the league’s most compelling — especially relative to the experience of the players who’ve been responsible for leading it. The team currently possesses the majors’ highest collective isolated-power figure and highest park-adjusted home-run rate, too. Eric Thames (154 PA, .378 ISO), naturally, is a major influence in this regard, but so are Ryan Braun (107, .287), Jett Bandy (79, .270), and Travis Shaw (147, .261) among others.
Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete and also sortable table for all of today’s games. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and the rest of the internet. Note that calculations both for team and game NERD scores feature adjustment for postseason odds that increases as season progresses. Read more about those adjustments here and here.
| Away | SP | TM | GM | TM | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Archer | TB | 6 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 8 | CLE | Carlos Carrasco | 18:10 |
| Bartolo Colon | ATL | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | TOR | Mike Bolsinger* | 19:07 |
| Joe Musgrove | HOU | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | MIA | Dan Straily | 19:10 |
| Zack Wheeler | NYN | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | AZ | Zack Godley | 21:40 |
| Mike Pelfrey | CHA | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | LAA | Jesse Chavez | 22:07 |
| Chase Anderson | MIL | 4 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 10 | SD | Luis Perdomo | 22:10 |
| Sean Manaea | OAK | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | SEA | Yovani Gallardo | 22:10 |
| Brandon McCarthy | LAN | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | SF | Matt Cain | 22:15 |
TM denotes team score.
GM denotes overall game score.
Highlighted portion denotes game of the day.
* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of doomed author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Archer is a 6 and Perdomo is a 10? Carson, you are back on your bullshit.
Sir! I have made it abundantly clear that I’m incompetent.
That said, Perdomo actually looks pretty great so far. Young, throws hard, induces a thousand ground balls at a time.
Now it all makes sense. Perdomo’s GB rate: 69% ; )
Nice.
A groundball pitcher might be effective, but is he exciting? Frankly, give me a pitcher who strikes guys out and gives up home runs.
Relax, all right? Don’t try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they’re fascist. Throw some ground balls – it’s more democratic.
This response from Carson basically defines why he’s awesome: whimsy, hyperbole, and conveniently placed knowledge.