NERD Game Scores for Monday, May 5, 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
Los Angeles NL at Washington | 19:05 ET
Zack Greinke (35.1 IP, 56 xFIP-, 0.5 WAR) faces Jordan Zimmermann (33.0 IP, 81 xFIP-, 0.6 WAR). One notes, in addition to the particularly compelling pitching matchup, that the visiting club here currently features no fewer than four field players who’ve recorded a win or more — which is probably the highest number on any single team, were one to examine the matter in more depth.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Washington Radio.

MLB.TV Free Game
St. Louis at Atlanta | 19:10 ET
Shelby Miller (34.1 IP, 132 xFIP-, -0.6 WAR) faces Aaron Harang (36.1 IP, 103 xFIP-, 0.7 WAR). Only once this season, in six starts, has the former recorded a single-game xFIP below 4.00 — notable, that, on account of he recorded a full-season xFIP below 4.00 last season. As the image below reveals, however, the problem does not appear to have been caused by any decrease in velocity — a thing that’s good and bad at the same time, probably.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: St. Louis Radio.

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
Zack Greinke	LAN	9	5	8	6	9	WAS	Jor. Zimmermann	19:05
Kyle Gibson	MIN	1	5	4	5	5	CLE	Zach McAllister	19:05
Jake Dunning*	SF	5	7	6	8	5	PIT	Jeff Locke*	19:05
J.A. Happ*	TOR	4	6	3	3	2	PHI	Kyle Kendrick	19:05
Jarred Cosart	HOU	5	6	7	4	9	DET	Max Scherzer	19:08
Jon Niese	NYN	5	2	7	9	10	MIA	Nathan Eovaldi	19:10
Shelby Miller	STL	2	3	4	8	4	ATL	Aaron Harang	19:10
Jose Quintana	CHA	6	3	5	4	5	CHN	Jeff Samardzija	20:05
Michael Bolsinger*	AZ	8	4	6	6	5	MIL	Matt Garza	20:10
Martin Perez	TEX	5	2	5	9	4	COL	Jordan Lyles	20:40
David Phelps*	NYA	5	6	5	10	2	LAA	Jered Weaver	22:05
Chris Young	SEA	0	4	3	4	6	OAK	Scott Kazmir	22:05
Yordano Ventura	KC	10	2	5	4	2	SD	Eric Stults	22:10

To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.