NERD Game Scores for Friday, May 23, 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
Boston at Tampa Bay | 19:10 ET
John Lackey (58.1 IP, 87 xFIP-, 1.3 WAR) faces Chris Archer (51.0 IP, 97 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR). The former, one finds, has actually improved upon the surprising strikeout and walk figures he recorded last season, having produced rates of 22.9% and 5.3%, respectively, through nine starts. Of note regarding Lackey’s field-playing teammates: it appears as though, among that group, that young shortstop Xander Bogaerts has produced the highest WAR figure, tied with others at 1.1 wins.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Tampa Bay Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Regarding Baker, His Start Today
Former Minnesota right-hander Scott Baker is scheduled to make his first major-league start since September 20th of last season with the Cubs — with which team he compiled just three starts after returning from Tommy John surgery and the attendant rehab. He recorded strikeout and walk rates of 19.4% and 7.1%, respectively, in 38.0innings with Rangers Triple-A affiliate Round Rock.
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game hadn’t been announced as of press time, but 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T.J. House* | CLE | 7 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | BAL | Bud Norris | 19:05 |
| Clayton Kershaw | LAN | 10 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 4 | PHI | Roberto Hernandez | 19:05 |
| J. Zimmermann | WAS | 9 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | PIT | Charlie Morton | 19:05 |
| Scott Kazmir | OAK | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | TOR | Liam Hendriks* | 19:07 |
| Scott Baker* | TEX | 6 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | DET | Anibal Sanchez | 19:08 |
| Chase Anderson* | AZ | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 5 | NYN | Bartolo Colon | 19:10 |
| John Lackey | BOS | 8 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | TB | Chris Archer | 19:10 |
| Marco Estrada | MIL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 2 | MIA | Tom Koehler | 19:10 |
| Shelby Miller | STL | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | CIN | Homer Bailey | 19:10 |
| Jordan Lyles | COL | 4 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | ATL | Gavin Floyd* | 19:35 |
| Hiroki Kuroda | NYA | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | CHA | Hector Noesi | 20:10 |
| Danny Duffy* | KC | 5 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | LAA | C.J. Wilson | 22:05 |
| Edwin Jackson | CHN | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | SD | Tim Stauffer* | 22:10 |
| Brad Peacock | HOU | 3 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | SEA | Felix Hernandez | 22:10 |
| Kyle Gibson | MIN | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 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.
What follows is the compendium of Things We Have Learned about Scott Baker.
1) In the undefined past, Scott Baker threw baseballs for the Minnesota Twins
2) On September 20th of last year, Scott Baker threw his most recent game for the Chicago Nationals
The preceding is the complete corpus of Scott Baker.