NERD Game Scores for Saturday, May 31, 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
Atlanta at Miami | 16:10 ET
Ervin Santana (57.2 IP, 85 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces Jacob Turner (33.2 IP, 100 xFIP-, 0.1 WAR) in a contest that features two of the league’s most appealing clubs, according to the probably wrong metric devised by the author. The Atlantans, for their part, have produced the league’s most excellent relief pitching numbers and second-best defensive-run figures; the Miamis, a cumulative hitting line among the league’s top third despite featuring a roster which earns that same league’s lowest collective payroll.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Atlanta Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Regarding Marcus Stroman, How It’s His First Major-League Start
Right-handed Toronto prospect Marcus Stroman, whose relatively diminutive stature every baseball writer (including the present one) is compelled to invoke by order of the BBWAA, makes his first major-league start today at home against Kansas City. He’s recorded strikeout and walk rates of 30.8% and 6.2%, respectively, over 35.2 innings at Triple-A Buffalo.
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features New York Nationals and Philadelphia, starts at 3:05pm 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Tepesch* | TEX | 6 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | WAS | Doug Fister | 12:05 |
| Kevin Correia | MIN | 1 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | NYA | Masahiro Tanaka | 13:05 |
| Aaron Brooks* | KC | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 8 | TOR | Marcus Stroman* | 13:07 |
| Tyson Ross | SD | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | CHA | Andre Rienzo | 14:10 |
| Yusmeiro Petit | SF | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 10 | STL | Michael Wacha | 14:15 |
| Franklin Morales | COL | 2 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 7 | CLE | Trevor Bauer* | 15:05 |
| Jacob deGrom* | NYN | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | PHI | Kyle Kendrick | 15:05 |
| Ervin Santana | ATL | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | MIA | Jacob Turner | 16:10 |
| Chris Tillman | BAL | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 9 | HOU | Dallas Keuchel | 16:10 |
| Jason Hammel | CHN | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | MIL | Wily Peralta | 16:10 |
| Bran. Cumpton* | PIT | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | LAN | Hyun-Jin Ryu | 19:15 |
| Jake Odorizzi | TB | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 7 | BOS | Rubby de la Rosa* | 19:15 |
| Tyler Skaggs | LAA | 6 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 1 | OAK | Tommy Milone | 22:05 |
| Johnny Cueto | CIN | 8 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 9 | AZ | Brandon McCarthy | 22:10 |
| Drew Smyly | DET | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 0 | SEA | Chris Young | 22:10 |
To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Cards game should get bonus nerd points for Oscar Taveras debut.