NERD Game Scores for July 23, 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
Washington at Arizona | 16:10 ET
Strasburg (119.2 IP, 80 xFIP-) vs. Ray (112.0 IP, 90 xFIP-)
The author’s haphazardly constructed algorithm has selected this afternoon’s Washington-Arizona game as the day’s most compelling. In this case, the distinction seems warranted. Consider: both probable starters have the capacity to overwhelm hitters, each having produced a top-10 strikeout rate among baseball’s 70 qualified pitchers. As for the clubs involved, both continue to play games of some relevance, the D-backs very much chasing a Wild Card spot while the Nationals attempt simply to preserve their lead in the NL East.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Washington Radio.

Another Brief Note
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Oakland at New York NL, 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.