NERD Game Scores for Tuesday, June 16, 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
Toronto at New York NL | 19:10 ET
Copeland (10.0 IP, 92 xFIP-) vs. Harvey (79.2 IP, 81 xFIP-)
Recent research by the author in advance of an August trip to Montreal reveals that a U.S. citizen is permitted to remain in Canada as a tourist without a visa for up to 180 days, or roughly six months. Six months, one notes, is also almost the precise length of the major-league baseball season. In theory, then, one could take up residence in Toronto for the duration of the Blue Jays’ entire season and then return to the States upon the completion of same. Why anyone would engage in such behavior isn’t immediately clear. That it’s permitted legally, however — provided the traveler possesses no criminal record — is manifestly true. Moreover, one having relocated to Toronto this past April would have had the opportunity, thus far, to observe more closely the top park-adjusted offense in the majors.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: New York NL Television.

Two Brief Notes
Debut Alert: Kyle Schwarber, Chicago NL
The purpose of this brief entry is to note that the Cubs have recalled prospect Kyle Schwarber to serve as the club’s designated hitter during interleague play. Schwarber was ranked fourth among Chicago prospects this offseason by Kiley McDaniel and 21st among all prospects everywhere. At Double-A Tennessee this season, he’s recorded a nearly even walk- and strikeout-rate differential and also 13 home runs in 243 plate appearances.

Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Minnesota at St. Louis, starts at 13:45 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
Kyle Gibson	MIN	3	2	4	5	7	STL	Michael Wacha	13:45
Chris Rusin	COL	4	3	7	10	9	HOU	Vin. Velasquez*	14:10
Scott Kazmir	OAK	5	4	5	3	8	SD	Andrew Cashner	15:40
J.A. Happ	SEA	4	4	4	4	3	SF	Tim Lincecum	15:45
Julio Teheran	ATL	4	2	3	4	3	BOS	Wade Miley	16:05
Jose Quintana	CHA	5	0	5	7	6	PIT	Charlie Morton	19:05
Jerome Williams	PHI	4	1	3	5	1	BAL	Chris Tillman	19:05
Mi. Lorenzen	CIN	3	5	4	5	4	DET	Kyle Ryan*	19:08
Nathan Eovaldi	NYA	7	8	6	5	3	MIA	David Phelps	19:10
Scott Copeland*	TOR	5	9	8	6	10	NYN	Matt Harvey	19:10
Tanner Roark	WAS	3	6	5	6	5	TB	Alex Colome	19:10
Trevor Bauer	CLE	5	8	7	6	9	CHN	Jake Arrieta	20:08
Brett Anderson	LAN	6	5	4	4	1	TEX	Alex Gonzalez	20:05
Chris Young	KC	1	7	4	3	4	MIL	Matt Garza	20:10
J.my Hellickson	AZ	3	6	5	7	6	LAA	Gar’t Richards	22:05

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