NERD Game Scores for Saturday, May 7, 2016
Devised originally in response to a challenge issued by sabermetric nobleman 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
Boston at New York AL | 13:05 ET
Price (36.2 IP, 66 xFIP-) vs. Eovaldi (29.2 IP, 80 xFIP-)
For a number years — like when he was a Dodgers prospect and then when he was a starter for Miami and then during his first season with the Yankees, as well — for a number of years it’s seemed as though Nathan Eovaldi should prevent runs harder. There’s a strong correlation between arm speed and success, and Eovaldi possess the former in great volume. Regard: of the 316 pitchers to have recorded 100-plus innings as a starter since 2011 (when he debuted), Eovaldi has produced the fourth-highest average fastball velocity. Ahead of him? Only Noah Syndergaard, Yordano Ventura, and Gerrit Cole — in that order. Why this is relevant now is because Eolvadi, during his first five starts, has posted a strikeout rate over seven points greater than his career average. The reason, in no small part: a splitter which he’s emmploying more often — and with which he’s recording more whiffs — than ever.
Two Other Brief Notes
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Seattle at Houston starts at 19:10 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Broadcaster Rankings
Recently, the present author began the process of process of reproducing the broadcaster rankings which appeared on this site roughly four years ago. Cast ballots for television broadcasts here; for radio broadcasts, here.
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 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.
| Away | SP | TM | GM | TM | SP | Home | Time | ||
| David Price | BOS | 10 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 10 | NYA | Nathan Eovaldi | 13:05 |
| Rich Hill | OAK | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | BAL | Mike Wright | 13:05 |
| Jesse Hahn* | OAK | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | BAL | Ubaldo Jimenez | 19:05 |
| Clayton Kershaw | LAN | 10 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 10 | TOR | R.A. Dickey | 13:07 |
| A.J. Griffin | TEX | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | DET | Mike Pelfrey | 13:10 |
| Jeff Locke | PIT | 4 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 3 | STL | Adam Wainwright | 14:15 |
| Jonathan Gray | COL | 10 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 9 | SF | Johnny Cueto | 16:05 |
| Gio Gonzalez | WAS | 3 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 4 | CHN | Jason Hammel | 16:05 |
| Ian Kennedy | KC | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | CLE | Cody Anderson | 16:10 |
| Shelby Miller | AZ | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 4 | ATL | Julio Teheran | 19:10 |
| Jimmy Nelson | MIL | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | CIN | Brandon Finnegan | 19:10 |
| Ervin Santana | MIN | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 7 | CHA | Chris Sale | 19:10 |
| Jeremy Hellickson | PHI | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | MIA | Tom Koehler | 19:10 |
| Nate Karns | SEA | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | HOU | Dallas Keuchel | 19:10 |
| Bartolo Colon | NYN | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | SD | James Shields | 20:40 |
| Jake Odorizzi | TB | 4 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 0 | LAA | Jered Weaver | 21:05 |
TM denotes team score.
GM denotes overall game score.
Highlighted portion denotes game of the day.
* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of clueless author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
How are the Red Sox worth 3 more points than the Dodgers? I just…ugh
And Clayton Kershaw is very likely going to throw a No-Shitter against the Jays, so that has to make up the difference.