NERD Game Scores for Tuesday, July 05, 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
Seattle at Houston | 20:10 ET
Walker (82.0 IP, 91 xFIP-) vs. Keuchel (107.0 IP, 84 xFIP-)
On Opening Day, Houston possessed a 68% probability of qualifying for the postseason in some form. Following a poor start, that figure had dropped to 18% by May 23rd. Now, after a much less poor interval, the Astros’ playoff odds are above 50% again. Is this like or not like Sisyphus rolling a boulder up a hill for all eternity?

The author will take his answer off the air.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Houston or Seattle Radio.

Two Other Brief Notes
A Note on Steven Brault
Pittsburgh left-hander Steven Brault is scheduled to record his major-league debut this evening. He possesses what might rightly be called “fringe-propsect bona fides,” including a minor-league resume populated by strong fielding-independent numbers but also a fastball that (according to most reports, at least) sits at 89-91 mph.

Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Miami at New York NL, starts at 19:10 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 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.