NERD Game Scores for Sunday, June 7, 2015

June 7, 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.

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Most Highly Rated Game
Houston at Toronto | 13:07 ET
McHugh (70.2 IP, 92 xFIP-) vs. Dickey (70.0 IP, 119 xFIP-)
When the author first introduced pitcher NERD scores and the algorithm used to calculate them, there was near consensus among the wide readership that knuckleballers ought to receive a bonus of some sort, owing to the appeal of that same pitch. The solution at that time: an addition of (5 * KN%), where KN% denotes knuckleball rate, to every pitcher’s score. At no point in the meantime has there been any great uproar suggesting that the knuckle bonus was poorly conceived. That said, R.A. Dickey has produced so far in 2015 both (a) the worst fielding-independent numbers and also (b) the worst run-prevention numbers since before he was a Met or even a Twin. And yet, he currently possesses an 8 NERD, placing him at roughly the 85th percentile among all starters. Bearing in mind that the entire endeavor is futile, the reader is encouraged nonetheless to meditate upon whether Dickey’s NERD score is representative of the pleasure one continues to derive from his craft.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Toronto Radio.

Two Brief Notes
Constantly Looping Video: Joe Ross’s Fastball and Slider
Washington right-hander Joe Ross recorded his major-league debut yesterday against the Cubs, producing a 4:0 strikeout-to-walk ratio and single-game 2.36 xFIP over 5.0 innings (box). Below is constantly looping video of both his fastball and slider from that same game.

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Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features San Diego at Cincinnati, starts at 13:10 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
C.J. Wilson	LAA	3	7	5	6	6	NYA	CC Sabathia	13:05
Collin McHugh	HOU	6	10	8	8	8	TOR	R.A. Dickey	13:07
Bud Norris	BAL	1	4	6	9	10	CLE	Carlos Carrasco	13:10
Od.r Despaigne	SD	2	4	5	5	7	CIN	Johnny Cueto	13:10
Ken. Graveman	OAK	2	5	5	4	7	BOS	Clay Buchholz	13:35
Gerrit Cole	PIT	10	7	6	2	4	ATL	Alex Wood	13:35
Ryan Vogelsong	SF	1	5	2	1	0	PHI	Sean O’Sullivan	13:35
Alfredo Simon	DET	2	4	3	0	7	CHA	Jeff Samardzija	14:10
Mike Fiers	MIL	5	3	3	3	1	MIN	Mike Pelfrey	14:10
Colby Lewis	TEX	3	4	3	6	0	KC	Jeremy Guthrie	14:10
Kyle Hendricks	CHN	6	6	5	5	4	WAS	Jor. Zimmermann	16:05
Jose Urena	MIA	6	6	4	3	0	COL	Kyle Kendrick	16:10
Jacob deGrom	NYN	10	5	6	6	3	AZ	Josh Collmenter	16:10
Chris Archer	TB	10	5	7	5	6	SEA	M. Montgomery*	16:10
Lance Lynn	STL	5	4	5	7	4	LAN	Zack Greinke	20:08

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

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I once posted as Ruben Amaro Jr.

10 years ago

Why doesn’t CC Sabathia use periods in his nickname like R.A. Dickey and C.J. Wilson?

Mark

Reply to I once posted as Ruben Amaro Jr.

Per Wikipedia:

On July 7, 2008, Sabathia was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson. During his press conference, Sabathia made it known to the assembled members of the media that he would prefer his name to be spelled “CC” rather than “C.C.”