NERD Game Scores for Tuesday, May 10, 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
Tampa Bay at Seattle | 22:10 ET
Smyly (39.2 IP, 81 xFIP-) vs. Miley (38.0 IP, 98 xFIP-)
Here one finds the Ben Zobrist of baseball games — which is to say, one distinguished not by the promise of dizzying heights, but by its thoroughgoing competence. Drew Smyly and Wade Miley both offer some aesthetic value, the former for his capacity to induce swings and misses (1.7 standard deviations more frequently than other starters), the latter for the multitude of strikes he throws (67.3% of pitches, 1.5 standard deviations better than average) and the pace at which he works (two standard deviations faster than average starter). Tampa Bay and Seattle’s hitters, meanwhile, also possess their merits. The Rays, a team composed merely of Tampa-area orphan children, have nevertheless produced the second-best park-adjusted home-run rate among all major-league clubs. The Mariners, meanwhile, are well-acquitted by that same measure.
Two Other Brief Notes
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 if and when it is announced.
Broadcaster Rankings
Recently, the present author began the process of process of reproducing the broadcaster rankings which appeared on this site roughly four years ago. The first installment of the results of the effort will appear on Monday, May 16.
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.
| Away | SP | TM | GM | TM | SP | Home | Time | ||
| Michael Fulmer | DET | 9 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 6 | WAS | Joe Ross | 19:05 |
| Kris Medlen | KC | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | NYA | Masahiro Tanaka | 19:05 |
| Zach Davies | MIL | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | MIA | Adam Conley | 19:10 |
| Sean Manaea | OAK | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 4 | BOS | Sean O’Sullivan* | 19:10 |
| Adam Morgan* | PHI | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ATL | Matt Wisler | 19:10 |
| Juan Nicasio | PIT | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | CIN | Alfredo Simon | 19:10 |
| Carlos Rodon | CHA | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | TEX | Derek Holland | 20:05 |
| Cesar Vargas | SD | 3 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 6 | CHN | Jon Lester | 20:05 |
| Kevin Gausman | BAL | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 8 | MIN | Jose Berrios* | 20:10 |
| Trevor Bauer* | CLE | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | HOU | Chris Devenski | 20:10 |
| Rubby de la Rosa | AZ | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | COL | Chris Rusin* | 20:40 |
| Mike Leake | STL | 5 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4 | LAA | Hector Santiago | 22:05 |
| Jacob deGrom | NYN | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 6 | LAN | Alex Wood | 22:10 |
| Drew Smyly | TB | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | SEA | Wade Miley | 22:10 |
| J.A. Happ | TOR | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | SF | Matt Cain | 22:15 |
TM denotes team score.
GM denotes overall game score.
Highlighted portion denotes game of the day.
* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of hideous author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.
Smyly vs Miley… Makes me wonder what other rhyming starting pitching matchups are possible.
I’ve got:
Sonny (or Jonathan) Gray vs Robbie Ray
Carlos Rodon vs Tommy Milone
Any others?