NERD Game Scores for Saturday, May 17, 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 Arizona | 20:10 ET
Clayton Kershaw (20.2 IP, 41 xFIP-, 0.8) faces Chase Anderson (5.1 IP, 62 xFIP-, 0.1 WAR). The virtues of the former are manifest. The virtues of the latter aren’t entirely, but largely, summarized by means of the animated GIF below, which animated GIF depicts Chase Anderson’s fantastic changeup.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Los Angeles NL Television.

Two Brief Notes
Regarding Cole Hamels
Cole Hamels‘ poor NERD score at the moment is largely due to his mediocre park-adjusted xFIP (107 xFIP-), although his most recent start, during which he struck out 10 (box), was also his most promising of the four he’s recorded since returning from injury.

Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Seattle and Minnesota, starts at 7:10pm 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.

Away		SP	Tm.	Gm.	Tm.	SP		Home	Time
Aaron Harang	ATL	6	7	4	2	2	STL	Shelby Miller	14:15
Matt Garza	MIL	5	6	5	5	4	CHN	Edwin Jackson	14:20
Bartolo Colon	NYN	5	3	5	5	6	WAS	Gio Gonzalez	16:05
Edinson Volquez	PIT	3	8	5	5	5	NYA	David Phelps*	16:05
Hector Noesi*	CHA	6	3	5	7	4	HOU	Jarred Cosart	16:10
Homer Bailey	CIN	7	3	5	2	4	PHI	Cole Hamels	19:05
Scott Kazmir	OAK	6	5	5	5	4	CLE	Josh Tomlin*	19:05
Bud Norris	BAL	3	3	4	3	5	KC	Danny Duffy*	19:10
Rick Porcello	DET	7	5	6	2	7	BOS	John Lackey	19:10
Roenis Elias	SEA	6	5	5	3	4	MIN	Sam. Deduno*	19:10
Mark Buehrle	TOR	3	6	5	3	6	TEX	Robbie Ross	20:05
Clayton Kershaw	LAN	10	5	8	5	9	AZ	Ch. Anderson*	20:10
Robbie Erlin	SD	7	4	6	9	5	COL	Jordan Lyles	20:10
Tom Koehler	MIA	2	9	5	7	7	SF	Tim Lincecum	21:05
Cesar Ramos	TB	0	6	4	9	5	LAA	C.J. Wilson	21:05

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