NERD Game Scores for Friday, June 5, 2015
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
St. Louis at Los Angeles NL | 22:10 ET
Martinez (60.1 IP, 87 xFIP-) vs. Anderson (55.1 IP, 89 xFIP-)
Between 2013 and -14, St. Louis right-hander Carlos Martinez produced a 21.2% strikeout rate over 117.2 innings, the majority of the latter in a relief capacity. Over 60.1 innings this season, Martinez has recorded a 25.4% strikeout rate — which is to say, a mark about four points better than his career figure — while working almost exclusively in a starting capacity. This is unusual. As a rule, the same pitcher — because he’s able to throw harder and is likely to face a greater percentage of same-handed batters — the same pitcher will produce better strikeout numbers as a reliever than as a starter. To the extent that Martinez has exhibited the precise opposite trend, one is compelled to entertain the possibility that the rules don’t apply to Carlos Martinez. Or that, at least, one of the universe’s nearly infinite and oppressive rules doesn’t apply to him.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Los Angeles NL Television.
Two Brief Notes
Belated, Gratuitous Slow-Motion Footage: Joey Gallo’s Second Homer
Texas rookie Joey Gallo recorded his second major-league home run not last night, but rather the night before. That oughtn’t prevent anyone, however, from enjoying gratuitous slow-motion video of same.
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Baltimore at Cleveland, starts at 19:10 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. Note that the calculations both for team and game NERD scores have changed recently to better integrate playoff odds into same. Read more about those changes here, if you’re the sort of person accustomed to making poor life decisions.
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsuyoshi Wada | CHN | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 1 | WAS | Tanner Roark | 19:05 |
| Jered Weaver | LAA | 3 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | NYA | Nathan Eovaldi | 19:05 |
| Tim Lincecum | SF | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | PHI | Jerome Williams | 19:05 |
| Ro. Hernandez | HOU | 2 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 4 | TOR | Aaron Sanchez | 19:07 |
| Chris Tillman | BAL | 2 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | CLE | Shaun Marcum | 19:10 |
| Scott Kazmir | OAK | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | BOS | Wade Miley | 19:10 |
| Tyson Ross | SD | 8 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 7 | CIN | Raisel Iglesias | 19:10 |
| Charlie Morton | PIT | 8 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 6 | ATL | Williams Perez | 19:35 |
| Kyle Ryan* | DET | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 6 | CHA | Jose Quintana | 20:10 |
| Kyle Lohse | MIL | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | MIN | Kyle Gibson | 20:10 |
| Chi Chi Gonzalez* | TEX | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | KC | Edinson Volquez | 20:10 |
| Tom Koehler | MIA | 1 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | COL | Eddie Butler | 20:40 |
| Jon Niese | NYN | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 2 | AZ | J.my Hellickson | 21:40 |
| Carlos Martinez | STL | 9 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | LAN | Brett Anderson | 22:10 |
| Jake Odorizzi | TB | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | SEA | J.A. Happ | 22:10 |
* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Joey Gallo almost literally swings out of his shoes in that gif.
Definitely in the running for most-violent-swing-of-the-year.