NERD Game Scores for Thursday, September 3, 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
Chicago AL at Minnesota | 13:10 ET
Samardzija (182.0 IP, 104 xFIP-) vs. Gibson (158.0 IP, 101 xFIP-)
Were one committed to consuming at least one Twins game this season — and had also failed to satisfy the terms of that agreement so far this year — then today represents probably the ideal occasion on which to do so. For one, the club continues to maintain a curious proximity to the last wild-card spot. For two, there’s the opportunity to definitely observe Byron Buxton (who’s playing center and batting ninth) and possibly) Miguel Sano (who strangely absent from the lineup despite having declared a terrible war on major-league pitchers). And finally, Target Field features one of the league’s top center-field cameras.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Minnesota Radio.

Two Brief Notes
Matt Boyd Appearance
Detroit left-hander Matt Boyd, a fixture earlier in the season within the author’s weekly Fringe Five report for his performance in the minor leagues, has experienced decidedly less success in the majors this season. Nevertheless, he’s produced an above-average swinging-strike rate while also exhibiting at least an average fastball.

Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features the same clubs discussed above, 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 adjustments here and here.

Away		SP	Tm.	Gm.	Tm.	SP		Home	Time
Jeff Samardzija	CHA	7	3	5	7	4	MIN	Kyle Gibson	13:10
Matt Wisler	ATL	3	3	4	5	7	WAS	Jor. Zimmermann	19:05
Francisco Liriano	PIT	8	5	5	4	5	MIL	Taylor Jungmann	19:20
Matt Boyd	DET	3	4	4	4	4	KC	Edinson Volquez	20:10
Ryan Vogelsong	SF	0	5	4	4	5	COL	Chris Rusin	20:40
Mat Latos	LAN	6	5	5	4	6	SD	Colin Rea	22:10

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