NERD Game Scores for Sunday, May 22, 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
Chicago NL at San Francisco | 20:05 ET
Hendricks (41.0 IP, 75 xFIP-) vs. Bumgarner (58.2 IP, 85 xFIP-)
It doesn’t require a brain surgeon to recognize that a game featuring two of the league’s more successful pitchers and more successful clubs — that such a game would possess some interest for the public. There’s also no reason to believe, however, that a medical doctor trained specifically in the field of neurology would be particularly well-suited to diagnosing the likely aesthetic value of such a game. There are a number of neurosurgeons, presumably, who have almost no familiarity with the Pastime. Like Nate’s dad, for example. He’s a neurosurgeon, but what does he know about sport? Nothing, is what.
Two Other Brief Notes
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game hadn’t been announced as of press time, but can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text if and when it is announced.
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. The final installment of the results from that effort — for television broadcasts, at least — appeared Thursday.
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 | ||
| Chase Anderson | MIL | 3 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 10 | NYN | Noah Syndergaard | 13:10 |
| Wade Miley | SEA | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | CIN | Alfredo Simon | 13:10 |
| Chris Archer | TB | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 | DET | Jordan Zimmermann | 13:10 |
| Max Scherzer | WAS | 10 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | MIA | Adam Conley | 13:10 |
| Casey Kelly* | ATL | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 7 | PHI | Jerad Eickhoff | 13:35 |
| Danny Salazar | CLE | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 5 | BOS | Rick Porcello | 13:35 |
| Chad Bettis | COL | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | PIT | Juan Nicasio | 13:35 |
| Yordano Ventura | KC | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 8 | CHA | Carlos Rodon | 14:10 |
| Cole Hamels | TEX | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | HOU | Dallas Keuchel | 14:10 |
| Marcus Stroman | TOR | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | MIN | Phil Hughes | 14:10 |
| Zack Greinke | AZ | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | STL | Jaime Garcia | 14:15 |
| Ubaldo Jimenez | BAL | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | LAA | Jered Weaver | 15:35 |
| Michael Pineda | NYA | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | OAK | Jesse Hahn | 16:05 |
| Kenta Maeda | LAN | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 2 | SD | Colin Rea | 16:40 |
| Kyle Hendricks | CHN | 9 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 7 | SF | Madison Bumgarner | 20:05 |
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.
Cistulli- have you thought about tossing in camera angle scores? That’s a big factor when I’m picking a game to watch.