NERD Game Scores for Friday, May 9, 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
St. Louis at Pittsburgh | 19:05 ET
Michael Wacha (42.1 IP, 82 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces Francisco Liriano (37.2 IP, 98 xFIP-, 0.2 WAR). The former has improved upon both the (average-ish) zone and (above-average) swinging-strike rates he recorded last year in about a third of a season’s worth of starts. Of note with regard to Pittsburgh is the performance thus far of Pedro Alvarez. After four consecutive seasons of having recorded strikeout rates between 30% and 31%, the very powerful third baseman has posted just a 21.1% mark in a ca. 150 plate appearances — including walk and strikeout rates of 13.8% and 10.3%, respectively, over the past week.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: St. Louis Radio.
MLB.TV Free Game
Unknown at Unknown | ??:?? ET
Today’s free game hadn’t been announced as of the time at which the sloth-ridden author finished composing the present post. Updates may or may not follow, depending on the strength of said author’s weakness.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: .
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 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scott Feldman | HOU | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | BAL | Wei-Yin Chen | 19:05 |
Michael Wacha | STL | 10 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 7 | PIT | Francisco Liriano | 19:05 |
Garrett Richards | LAA | 7 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 0 | TOR | Dustin McGowan | 19:07 |
Phil Hughes | MIN | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | DET | Justin Verlander | 19:08 |
Corey Kluber | CLE | 8 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 4 | TB | Jake Odorizzi | 19:10 |
Jhoulys Chacin* | COL | 4 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 9 | CIN | Johnny Cueto | 19:10 |
R. Hernandez | PHI | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 6 | NYN | Jenrry Mejia | 19:10 |
Jason Hammel | CHN | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 5 | ATL | Julio Teheran | 19:35 |
Clay Buchholz | BOS | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 | TEX | Yu Darvish | 20:05 |
Brandon McCarthy | AZ | 9 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | CHA | Andre Rienzo* | 20:10 |
Masahiro Tanaka | NYA | 10 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | MIL | Yovani Gallardo | 20:10 |
Doug Fister* | WAS | 8 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | OAK | Tommy Milone | 22:05 |
Jason Vargas | KC | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | SEA | Brandon Maurer* | 22:10 |
Jose Fernandez | MIA | 10 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 6 | SD | Tyson Ross | 22:10 |
M. Bumgarner | SF | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 0 | LAN | Paul Maholm | 22:10 |
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.
MLB At Bat app list Cubs @ Braves as the freebie.