NERD Game Scores for July 1, 2017
Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by sabermetric forefather 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.
How are they calculated? Haphazardly, is how. An explanation of the components and formulae which produce these NERD scores is available here. All objections to the numbers here are probably justified, on account of how this entire endeavor is absurd.
Most Highly Rated Game
Colorado at Arizona | 22:10 ET
Chatwood (93.2 IP, 99 xFIP-) vs. Greinke (102.1 IP, 73 xFIP-)
The author’s haphazardly calculated algorithm suggests that tonight’s Rockies and D-backs game offers the greatest opportunity for thrills and/or delights. This is largely based on performance this year of the latter club and that club’s probable starter tonight, Zack Greinke. In the wake of last year’s uncharacteristically league-average performance and in the midst currently of a velocity decline, Greinke has nevertheless managed to produce fielding-independent numbers on par with his best seasons. As for Arizona, they continue to maintain the league’s top baserunning figure, having produced nearly two wins by that measure alone.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Arizona Radio.
Another Brief Note
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Cleveland at Detroit, starts at 13:10 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Complete Schedule
Here’s the complete and also sortable table for all of today’s games. Pitching probables and game times aggregated from MLB.com and 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Sale | BOS | 10 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | TOR | Francisco Liriano | 13:07 |
| Josh Tomlin | CLE | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 3 | DET | Anibal Sanchez | 13:10 |
| Carlos Carrasco | CLE | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | DET | Jordan Zimmermann | 19:15 |
| Cole Hamels | TEX | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | CHA | Derek Holland | 14:10 |
| Jose Berrios | MIN | 7 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | KC | Luke Farrell* | 14:15 |
| Felix Jorge* | MIN | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | KC | Jason Hammel | 20:35 |
| R.A. Dickey | ATL | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 5 | OAK | Paul Blackburn* | 16:05 |
| Matt Moore | SF | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 7 | PIT | Chad Kuhl | 16:05 |
| Jake Odorizzi | TB | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | BAL | Dylan Bundy | 16:05 |
| Eddie Butler | CHN | 2 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 5 | CIN | Jackson Stephens* | 16:10 |
| Tom Koehler | MIA | 2 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 4 | MIL | Zach Davies | 16:10 |
| Jeremy Hellickson | PHI | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | NYN | Zack Wheeler | 16:10 |
| Jordan Montgomery | NYA | 7 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | HOU | Francis Martes | 19:15 |
| Gio Gonzalez | WAS | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 8 | STL | Michael Wacha | 19:15 |
| Sam Gaviglio | SEA | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | LAA | Ricky Nolasco | 22:07 |
| Tyler Chatwood | COL | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | AZ | Zack Greinke | 22:10 |
| Rich Hill | LAN | 2 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | SD | Dillon Overton* | 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 doomed author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Given the author’s present proximity to the border and oft utilized ad hoc “monkeying” around with the formula, I’m more than a little surprised to see the Blue Jays not given a one day team score of 150 in recognition of the arbitrary birth date of the country they play baseball in half of the time.
Particularly since I imagine an American team will be given the distinguished honor of being included in “Cistulli’s 2017 game of the day” on the 4th.
A little decorum please Carson.