NERD Game Scores for June 12, 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
Chicago NL at New York NL | 19:10 ET
Lackey (70.1 IP, 95 xFIP-) vs. deGrom (72.0 IP, 76 xFIP-)
As noted by Dave Cameron already this morning, the 2017 MLB draft begins tonight. The event provides an opportunity to contemplate the respective futures of talented young amateur players. It also represents an occasion on which to remember the (sometimes unlikely) origins of talented current majors leaguers.

One such talented current major leaguer is right-hander Jacob deGrom, who was selected by the Mets out of Stetson University in the ninth round of the 2010 draft. A player selected at that point in the draft can be expected to produce, on average, slightly more than a win over the course of his entire career. Since 1965, pitchers drafted in the ninth round who subsequently signed with the selecting club have recorded 0.6 WAR a piece. As for deGrom, he’s already compiled 13 career wins, or 20 times more than one might expect by that measure. He is, like all of us, an anomaly.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: New York NL Television.

Another Brief Note
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 when and if it becomes available.

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.