NERD Game Scores for Saturday, September 26, 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
Texas at Houston | 13:05 ET
Holland (47.1 IP, 104 xFIP-) vs. McHugh (190.0 IP, 98 xFIP-)
Now possessing merely a half-game advantage over Los Angeles for the AL’s second wild-card spot, it’s fair probably to state that Houston is likely to qualify for the postseason only by the “skin of their teeth.” Were it not for this rare medical condition — which is known medically as dermadentosis and affects literally dozens — the Astros’ odds might be even worse. This afternoon, they endeavor simultaneously to separate themselves from the Angels while advancing on the division-leading Rangers.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Texas Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Nostalgic Event Notice: Hudson vs. Zito
The purpose of this brief entry is to note how San Francisco’s Tim Hudson and Oakland’s Barry Zito — teammates on the Athletics’ very successful early-century clubs — are both scheduled to start this afternoon’s game in the latter city.
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Tampa Bay at Toronto, starts at 13:07 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 adjustments here and here.
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Francisco Liriano | PIT | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 7 | CHN | Jason Hammel | 13:05 |
| Derek Holland | TEX | 5 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 5 | HOU | Collin McHugh | 13:05 |
| Chris Archer | TB | 10 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 8 | TOR | David Price | 13:07 |
| Wei-Yin Chen | BAL | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | BOS | Craig Breslow* | 16:05 |
| John Danks | CHA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | NYA | Adam Warren | 16:05 |
| Aaron Nola | PHI | 7 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 10 | WAS | St. Strasburg | 16:05 |
| Tim Hudson | SF | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | OAK | Barry Zito* | 16:05 |
| Matt Harvey | NYN | 10 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 8 | CIN | John Lamb | 16:10 |
| Tyler Duffey | MIN | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 2 | DET | Alfredo Simon | 19:08 |
| Julio Teheran | ATL | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | MIA | Justin Nicolino | 19:10 |
| Josh Tomlin | CLE | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | KC | Kris Medlen | 19:10 |
| Tyler Wagner* | MIL | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | STL | Jaime Garcia | 19:15 |
| Brett Anderson | LAN | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 | COL | Kyle Kendrick | 20:10 |
| Jer. Hellickson | AZ | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | SD | Robbie Erlin* | 20:40 |
| Felix Hernandez | SEA | 7 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 | LAA | Andrew Heaney | 21:05 |
* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Hmmm, I feel as though the esteemed author of this article and the creator of this formula should include a variable of the pitching side to include an instance when the two probable starters are BOTH in the running for the Cy Young award.
While some may argue that Archer is behind both Price and Kluber as this point, a gem in a game like today is the type of event that will stick in the minds of the voters, especially the “Narrative” fans. In as such, I feel the Price/Archer matchup deserves some more love.
Glad it is the free game
Or Archer can give up all the runs and we can pretend that I didn’t post the above