NERD Game Scores for Thursday, May 14, 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
Boston at Seattle | 22:10 ET
Kelly (34.0 IP, 99 xFIP-) vs. Elias (18.2 IP, 86 xFIP-)
In terms of aesthetic heights, tonight’s collection of games would appear to offer a lower probability of scaling them — or, perhaps more accurately, allowing the viewer to scale them — than what has been available previously this month. Boston’s Joe Kelly has recorded the highest average fastball velocity among qualifiers, but his arm speed hasn’t translated either to run prevention or even particularly great fielding-independent numbers. Seattle’s Roenis Elias throws strikes at a rate about a standard deviation greater than the average starter, but he lacks metaphorical electricity.

Indeed, one might consider utilizing tonight to observe some compelling amateur talent, instead. Hard-throwing Louisville right-hander Kyle Funkhouser, for example — ranked fifth among all draft prospects recently by Kiley McDaniel — starts tonight against NC State at 6pm ET, which game is available on Watch ESPN. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt plays Alabama at 8pm ET, which game features both right-hander Carson Fulmer and shortstop Dansby Swanson — both also ranked among McDaniel’s top-10 draft prospects. That game is available on streaming video by means of SEC Network Plus, itself also accessible through Watch ESPN.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Boston Radio.

Two Brief Notes
Easily Embedded Video: Corey Kluber
The author has exerted himself neither physically nor mentally while embedding this video featruing Corey Kluber’s 18 strikeouts from Wednesday night:

Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, starts at 1:05pm 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
Michael Wacha	STL	7	5	6	7	6	CLE	Trevor Bauer	12:10
Vance Worley	PIT	4	6	4	0	4	PHI	Aaron Harang	13:05
Mike Pelfrey	MIN	2	3	4	4	7	DET	Anibal Sanchez	13:08
Jeremy Guthrie	KC	3	6	3	3	2	TEX	Ross Detwiler	14:05
Jon Niese	NYN	7	5	6	6	7	CHN	Travis Wood	14:20
Chase Whitley	NYA	8	6	6	5	4	TB	Erasmo Ramirez*	19:10
Tim Lincecum	SF	6	3	6	5	8	CIN	Johnny Cueto	19:10
Dr. Hutchison	TOR	7	7	7	10	4	HOU	Rob.o Hernandez	20:10
Joe Kelly	BOS	8	4	7	6	8	SEA	Roenis Elias	22:10
Chad Bettis*	COL	5	4	6	9	6	LAN	Brett Anderson	22:10
Doug Fister	WAS	4	5	6	4	9	SD	Tyson Ross	22:10

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