NERD Game Scores for Thursday, May 22, 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
Oakland at Tampa Bay | 16:10 ET
Sonny Gray (60.0 IP, 89 xFIP-, 1.1 WAR) faces Alex Cobb (19.0 IP, 98 xFIP-, 0.3 WAR). The latter makes his first start since April 12th after suffering, and then recovering from, a left oblique strain. He struck out nine of the 17 batters he faced — which is to say more than half of them — during a rehab start for the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs (box). No substantive footage exists of the game; however, it does exist of this fisherman removing the claws from actual stone crabs.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Tampa Bay Radio.
Three Brief Notes
Regarding Yu Darvish, His Still Low-ish NERD Score
After finishing last season with a NERD score of 9, Texas right-hander Yu Darvish features only a score of 6 at the moment — largely because his park-adjusted xFIP is only very good (as opposed to elite) relative to the 150-plus pitchers to have recorded at least 20 innings as a starter, while his swinging-strike rate, overall strike rate, and fastball velocity are mostly average to date. Moreover, he’s produced one of the slowest paces among that same group.
Regarding Blake Treinen, His Fastball
During his last start on May 6th against the Dodgers (box), Washington right-hander Blake Treinen’s fastball featured an impressive combination of velocity and break, the author found while doing research for a post concerning that sort of thing.
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Hamels | PHI | 7 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 6 | MIA | Hen’son Alvarez | 12:40 |
| Yu Darvish | TEX | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 6 | DET | Robbie Ray* | 13:08 |
| Tim Hudson | SF | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 4 | COL | Jorge de la Rosa | 15:10 |
| Mark Buehrle | TOR | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 8 | BOS | Jon Lester | 16:05 |
| Sonny Gray | OAK | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | TB | Alex Cobb* | 16:10 |
| Undecided* | CLE | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 5 | BAL | Wei-Yin Chen | 19:05 |
| Blake Treinen* | WAS | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3 | PIT | Edinson Volquez | 19:05 |
| Zack Greinke | LAN | 8 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | NYN | Jon Niese | 19:10 |
| Matt Garza | MIL | 5 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 6 | ATL | Aaron Harang | 19:10 |
| Wade Miley | AZ | 6 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | STL | Lance Lynn | 19:15 |
| David Phelps* | NYA | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 9 | CHA | Chris Sale | 20:10 |
| Jake Arrieta* | CHN | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | SD | Eric Stults | 22:10 |
| Jarred Cosart | HOU | 3 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | SEA | Roenis Elias | 22:10 |
To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Chris Sale, who struck out 11 of 15 BF (which is to say, over two thirds of them) over 4 innings in a AAA rehab start last week, is unimpressed with Sonny Gray.
You mean Cobb?