NERD Game Scores for May 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
Cleveland at Cincinnati | 19:10 ET
Carrasco (52.0 IP, 71 xFIP-) vs. Garrett (40.0 IP, 110 xFIP-)
Rookie Amir Garrett isn’t the reason this game has received today’s highest rating according to the author’s haphazardly constructed algorithm. A combination of Cleveland starter Carlos Carrasco and a surprisingly strong Reds club — one which has produced the league’s most defensive runs, for example — is largely responsible for that. A recent exploit of Garrett’s deserves attention, however, and this isn’t the least reasonable place to supply that attention.

At the beginning of May, Garrett was demoted briefly to Triple-A. While there, he made a single appearance, just two innings against White Sox affiliate Charlotte. He faced six total batters over those two innings. What the video here documents is the last pitch of all six plate appearances.

What did Amir Garrett do? Struck out everyone he faced, is what. Now, his deed has been recorded here — if not for posterity, then at least for 20 minutes or an hour.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Cleveland Radio.

Another Brief Note
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Detroit at Houston, starts at 20:10 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.