NERD Game Scores for Friday, May 13, 2016
Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by sabermetric nobleman 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
Houston at Boston | 19:10 ET
McCullers (Season Debut) vs. Wright (41.1 IP, 101 xFIP-)
It was either American rock band 38 Special or ancient and dead Chinese philosopher Laozi who advised the world to “Hold on loosely, but don’t let go. If you cling too tightly, you’re gonna lose it — you’re gonna lose control.” Whatever the precise identity of the author, his/their spiritual wisdom has exerted no little influence over the the Houston Astros, which baseball club has handled Lance McCullers with great care this spring after the right-hander experienced shoulder inflammation in March. He returns to the majors tonight, however, on the strength of a 2015 campaign during which he produced the best adjusted ERA and best adjusted FIP and second-best adjusted xFIP among all rookies who recorded 100 or more innings as a starter. He faces knuckleballer Steven Wright, who has prevented runs with vigor over his first six starts.
Two Other Brief Notes
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Minnesota at Cleveland, starts at 19:10 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Broadcaster Rankings
Recently, the present author began the process of process of reproducing the broadcaster rankings which appeared on this site roughly four years ago. Cast ballots for television broadcasts here; for radio broadcasts, here.
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 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 | ||
| Francisco Liriano | PIT | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 3 | CHN | Jason Hammel | 14:20 |
| Chris Sale | CHA | 7 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 10 | NYA | Luis Severino | 19:05 |
| Brandon Finnegan | CIN | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | PHI | Jeremy Hellickson | 19:05 |
| Justin Verlander | DET | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | BAL | Chris Tillman | 19:05 |
| Tom Koehler | MIA | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | WAS | Gio Gonzalez | 19:05 |
| Lance McCullers* | HOU | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 9 | BOS | Steven Wright | 19:10 |
| Ricky Nolasco | MIN | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | CLE | Josh Tomlin | 19:10 |
| Rich Hill | OAK | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 5 | TB | Jake Odorizzi | 19:10 |
| R.A. Dickey | TOR | 10 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 3 | TEX | Martin Perez | 20:05 |
| TBA* | SD | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | MIL | Junior Guerra | 20:10 |
| Julio Teheran | ATL | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | KC | Edinson Volquez | 20:15 |
| Matt Harvey | NYN | 8 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 10 | COL | Jonathan Gray | 20:40 |
| Jeff Samardzija | SF | 7 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 0 | AZ | Shelby Miller | 21:40 |
| Nicholas Tropeano | LAA | 5 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 6 | SEA | Nate Karns | 22:10 |
| Michael Wacha | STL | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | LAN | Ross Stripling | 22:10 |
TM denotes team score.
GM denotes overall game score.
Highlighted portion denotes game of the day.
* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of clueless author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
The 2016 version of R.A. Dickey a must watch? Really? Knuckleballs that don’t knuckle are super exciting….
Wright’s knuckler moves more than Dickey’s ever has, Dickey’s always been the hard-throwing knuckleballer. I’d liken Wright much more to Wakefield than Dickey, which makes sense since he’s been working with Wake. I just think it’s fascinating that there are only 2 in the game right now, and Wright is pitching out of his mind. I can’t remember a pitcher making the game look more effortless than Wright has been, and it’s also fun to see a guy who looks just like any average Joe succeeding like this.
I’m with you on Wright. I’m fine with him scoring a 9 on the NERD score since he’s pitching his mind out (FULL DISCLOSURE: I’m also a Red Sox fan) but Dickey’s been horrendous, and not only this year but the past 2 or 3 seasons so I just don’t get the purported appeal.
I can float pitches that don’t break over the plate but nobody wants to see that.
Ah, miscommunication then. I thought you were referring to Wright and his 9 score as “The 2016 version of R.A. Dickey a must watch?” I hadn’t realized Dickey is scored a 10, but it doesn’t make sense to me either. Maybe, and I could buy this coming from Cistulli, he’s saying it’s fun to watch a formerly good pitcher like Dickey implode?
Even if it’s just a fascination with knuckleballers in general, since there’s only 2 in the game right now, you would surely think Wright should be rated higher?