NERD Game Scores for Friday, May 8, 2015
Devised originally in response to a challhenge 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
Gray (43.0 IP, 98 xFIP-) vs. Walker (22.2 IP, 120 xFIP-)
Seattle right-hander Taijuan Walker hasn’t provided much in the way of performance this season. The ERA is unsightly (as exhibited by the 222 ERA-), nor are the fielding-independent numbers distinguished for their world-famous sightliness, at this point (as exhibited by the 138 FIP- and 120 xFIP-). The projections suggest, however, that Walker will improve on all those numbers. And in terms of aesthetics, he offers the following collection of charms: considerable youth, plus velocity, and enough command not to render it all moot. Also, he works at a pace (19.5 seconds between pitches) nearly a standard deviation faster than the average starter.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Oakland Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Video: Preston Tucker Debut Show, Great Job!
Houston outfielder Preston Tucker made his debut on Thursday. Here’s video of his first hit, which was also an essential part of that Astros’ ninth-inning rally against the Angels:
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Kansas City at Detroit, starts at 7:08pm 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Stults | ATL | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | WAS | Gio Gonzalez | 19:05 |
| Mig. Gonzalez | BAL | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | NYA | Adam Warren | 19:05 |
| Matt Harvey | NYN | 10 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 6 | PHI | Cole Hamels | 19:05 |
| Michael Wacha | STL | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | PIT | Francisco Liriano | 19:05 |
| Wade Miley | BOS | 3 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | TOR | Aaron Sanchez | 19:07 |
| Yor. Ventura | KC | 9 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 6 | DET | David Price | 19:08 |
| Mike Pelfrey | MIN | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 6 | CLE | Trevor Bauer | 19:10 |
| Yovani Gallardo | TEX | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | TB | Nate Karns | 19:10 |
| Jason Hammel | CHN | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | MIL | Jimmy Nelson | 20:10 |
| Jason Marquis | CIN | 7 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 4 | CHA | Hector Noesi | 20:10 |
| Brett Anderson | LAN | 8 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | COL | Eddie Butler | 20:40 |
| James Shields | SD | 10 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 | AZ | Jeremy Hellickson | 21:40 |
| Ro. Hernandez | HOU | 4 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 5 | LAA | Jered Weaver | 22:05 |
| Sonny Gray | OAK | 7 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 8 | SEA | Taijuan Walker | 22:10 |
| Jarred Cosart | MIA | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | SF | Tim Lincecum | 22:15 |
* = 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.
As a Sox fan, I think Miley is severely underrated here. It’s very entertaining to watch him not be able to find the zone, then say screw it, and start just pitching BP. I know tonight I’ll be watching to see if he can break Masterson’s team high of 10 straight pitches thrown for balls that he accomplished in his last start against TB.
Also works at a blistering pace (17.1s so far in 2015) and is somewhere around 30% to pick of a runner over the course of the start, so yeah, I think he’s a reasonable pick.