NERD Game Scores for Friday, July 11, 2014
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
Oakland at Seattle | 22:10 ET
Jeff Samardzija (115.0 IP, 86 xFIP-, 2.4 WAR) faces Felix Hernandez (136.1 IP, 62 xFIP-, 5.1 WAR). One notes, with regard to the latter, that his most recent start — over which he produced an 8:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 55% ground-ball rate — actually served to slightly increase (i.e. make worse) his park-adjusted xFIP. That’s likely the most economical way of indicating that Hernandez is in the midst of an excellent season. A less economical way would be to paint a large portrait of Hernandez astride a pile of corpses, each corpse representing a batter Hernandez had retired this season.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Seattle Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Transaction of Note: Jimmy Nelson Promoted
After Thursday’s game against Philadelphia, the Milwaukee Brewers promoted right-handed prospect Jimmy Nelson to the parent club. Nelson, who recorded strikeout and walk rates of 26.5% and 7.4%, respectively, over 111.0 innings with Triple-A Nashville, is expected to start on Saturday against St. Louis.
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features the Chicago Americans at Cleveland, starts at 7:05pm ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete and very sortable table for all of today’s games. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and also the rest of the internet.
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Wood | ATL | 8 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 8 | CHN | Jake Arrieta | 16:05 |
| Hector Noesi | CHA | 4 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 9 | CLE | Corey Kluber | 19:05 |
| Hiroki Kuroda | NYA | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | BAL | Miguel Gonzalez | 19:05 |
| J. Zimmermann | WAS | 9 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | PHI | A.J. Burnett | 19:05 |
| Hend’son Alvarez | MIA | 7 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 8 | NYN | Zack Wheeler | 19:10 |
| Jeff Locke | PIT | 7 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | CIN | Mat Latos | 19:10 |
| Mark Buehrle | TOR | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 6 | TB | Chris Archer | 19:10 |
| Garrett Richards | LAA | 9 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 2 | TEX | Nick Tepesch | 20:05 |
| John Lackey | BOS | 9 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 2 | HOU | Scott Feldman | 20:10 |
| Anibal Sanchez | DET | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | KC | Danny Duffy | 20:10 |
| Joe Kelly* | STL | 7 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | MIL | Yovani Gallardo | 20:10 |
| Kris Johnson* | MIN | 6 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 1 | COL | Jorge de la Rosa | 20:40 |
| Jeff Samardzija | OAK | 8 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 10 | SEA | Felix Hernandez | 22:10 |
| Jesse Hahn | SD | 9 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | LAN | Dan Haren | 22:10 |
| Mike Bolsinger | AZ | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | SF | Tim Lincecum | 22:15 |
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.
Is it just me or does the free game of the day include the White Sox more than any other team? Does anyone know how the free game of the day is picked by MLB.tv? I feel like certain teams are very rarely ever involved.