NERD Game Scores for Thursday, July 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 Los Angeles NL | 22:10 ET
Julio Teheran (149.1 IP, 96 xFIP-, 2.4 WAR) faces Clayton Kershaw (112.1 IP, 51 xFIP-, 4.1 WAR). The latter continues to have recorded the best single-season park-adjusted xFIP among all qualifiers since 2002 — i.e. the first year for which that kind of metric is available. Here’s who’s second: the 2002 version of Curt Schilling (52 xFIP-). And here’s who’s third: the 2002 version of Randy Johnson (57 xFIP-).

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Los Angeles NL Radio.

Two Brief Notes
Tommy LaStella Status Update
Atlanta second baseman Tommy La Stella has produced almost the exact precise batting line his projections suggested he would since his promotion to the majors in late May. Over 228 plate appearances, he’s recorded walk and strikeout rates of 10.5% each, a 110 wRC+, and 1.2 WAR. His strikeout in the 10th inning of yesterday’s game at Los Angeles was the first he’d suffered since July 20th — a span of 45 plate appearances, or something very close to 45 plate appearances.

Regarding 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.

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
John Danks	CHA	3	2	4	4	5	DET	Drew Smyly	13:08
Ped. Hernandez*	COL	5	8	7	6	8	CHN	Jake Arrieta	14:20
Shelby Miller	STL	2	2	2	4	0	SD	Odris. Despaigne	15:40
Tyler Skaggs	LAA	7	6	5	6	3	BAL	Bud Norris	19:05
Cliff Lee	PHI	8	3	7	7	6	WAS	Gio Gonzalez	19:05
Chris Young	SEA	1	4	4	7	5	CLE	Zach McAllister	19:05
Johnny Cueto	CIN	8	1	5	7	3	MIA	Tom Koehler	19:10
Kevin Correia	MIN	0	4	5	4	10	KC	Yordano Ventura	20:10
Drew Hutchison	TOR	6	6	6	9	4	HOU	Jarred Cosart	20:10
Jeff Locke	PIT	7	5	5	5	2	AZ	Josh Collmenter	21:40
Julio Teheran	ATL	7	7	8	4	10	LAN	Clayton Kershaw	22:10

To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.