NERD Game Scores for Saturday, June 13, 2015

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
Cleveland at Detroit | 16:08 ET
Carrasco (68.1 IP, 72 xFIP-) vs. Verlander (Season Debut)
This game marks the return of Justin Verlander from a triceps injury that’s prevented him from appearing over the first two-and-a-half months of the season. Of some interest is what he’s able to exhibit by way of arm speed. After recording an average fastball velocity of 94.3 mph in 2012, he produced a figure exactly 1 mph less than that in 2013 and then another 1 mph less than that in 2014. His capacity to prevent runs has declined at a corresponding rate. Regard, by way of example, his xFIP- marks over each of the last three seasons, all in samples of 200-plus innings: 80, 92, 111. Decidedly upward, is the trend one identifies. During his second rehab start with Triple-A Toledo, Verlander’s fastball topped out at 94 mph while sitting in the low-90s, according to MLive.com’s Brendan Savage — figures which suggest that he’s returned, probably, to the 2014 edition of himself, but also probably not to the more dominant version which preceded it. In conclusion, all life is like a fleeting shadow and/or passing mist.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Cleveland Radio.

Two Brief Notes
Perpetually Looping Video: Correa’s Second Home Run
Talented Houston shortstop prospect Carlos Correa recorded both his home debut and his second career home run on Friday. What follows is perpetually looping and also slow-motion footage of the latter.

Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Los Angeles NL at San Diego, starts at 22:10 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.

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. Note that the calculations both for team and game NERD scores have changed recently to better integrate playoff odds into same. Read more about those changes here, if you’re the sort of person accustomed to making poor life decisions.

Away		SP	Tm.	Gm.	Tm.	SP		Home	Time
R.A. Dickey	TOR	8	8	7	4	7	BOS	Clay Buchholz	13:35
Mike Pelfrey	MIN	2	2	3	3	3	TEX	Colby Lewis	16:05
Sean O’Sullivan	PHI	0	1	5	7	10	PIT	Gerrit Cole	16:05
Carlos Carrasco	CLE	10	8	8	5	8	DET	Just. Verlander*	16:08
Shelby Miller	ATL	6	2	6	6	10	NYN	Jacob deGrom	16:10
Jeff Samardzija	CHA	7	0	6	5	10	TB	Chris Archer	16:10
David Hale	COL	6	3	5	6	5	MIA	Mat Latos	16:10
Jeremy Guthrie	KC	1	7	5	4	8	STL	Tyler Lyons	16:10
M. Montgomery	SEA	4	4	6	10	6	HOU	Collin McHugh	16:10
Joe Ross*	WAS	8	6	6	3	6	MIL	Jimmy Nelson	16:10
Allen Webster*	AZ	6	5	4	5	1	SF	Ryan Vogelsong	19:15
Mike Leake	CIN	5	5	6	6	6	CHN	Kyle Hendricks	19:15
CC Sabathia	NYA	7	7	5	5	2	BAL	Bud Norris	19:15
Ken’ll Graveman	OAK	2	5	4	8	3	LAA	C.J. Wilson	22:05
Zack Greinke	LAN	5	6	5	3	6	SD	Ian Kennedy	22:10

* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.