NERD Game Scores for Tuesday, May 20, 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
New York AL at Chicago NL | 19:10 ET
Masahiro Tanaka (58.0 IP, 58 xFIP-, 1.6 WAR) faces Jason Hammel (53.0 IP, 96 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR). The former has produced the second-best park-adjusted xFIP among all qualified starters, and the absolute best park-adjusted xFIP among all qualified starters who haven’t also recently destroyed both their UCLs and, while so doing, the illusions of many who believed in the permanence of beauty.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Chicago NL Television.
Three Brief Notes
Regarding Anthony DeSclafani, His Recent Debut
Making his major-league debut last week in place of the injured Jose Fernandez, Miami right-hander Anthony DeSclafani recorded a single-game 2.34 xFIP at the Los Angeles Dodgers (box). He starts today against Philadelphia.
Regarding Drew Pomeranz, His Work as a Starter
In his two starts this season, which also account for both of his last two appearances, left-hander Drew Pomeranz has produced a 13:2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 10.0 innings and a 1.60 xFIP.
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Baltimore at Pittsburgh, starts at 7:05pm 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.
| Away | SP | Tm. | Gm. | Tm. | SP | Home | Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mig. Gonzalez | BAL | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 7 | PIT | Francisco Liriano | 19:05 |
| Johnny Cueto | CIN | 9 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 6 | WAS | Doug Fister* | 19:05 |
| Justin Verlander | DET | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | CLE | Trevor Bauer* | 19:05 |
| Josh Beckett | LAN | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | NYN | Rafael Montero* | 19:10 |
| Yovani Gallardo | MIL | 2 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 5 | ATL | Julio Teheran | 19:10 |
| D. Pomeranz* | OAK | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | TB | Jake Odorizzi | 19:10 |
| A.J. Burnett | PHI | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 9 | MIA | Ant’ny DeSclafani* | 19:10 |
| J.A. Happ* | TOR | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | BOS | Felix Doubront | 19:10 |
| Masahiro Tanaka | NYA | 10 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | CHN | Jason Hammel | 20:05 |
| Hisashi Iwakuma | SEA | 7 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 5 | TEX | Colby Lewis | 20:05 |
| Andre Rienzo | CHA | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 | KC | Yordano Ventura | 20:10 |
| Bronson Arroyo | AZ | 4 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 6 | STL | Adam Wainwright | 20:15 |
| M. Bumgarner | SF | 7 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 2 | COL | Franklin Morales | 20:40 |
| Scott Feldman | HOU | 1 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 6 | LAA | Tyler Skaggs | 22:05 |
| Kevin Correia | MIN | 3 | 4 | 5 | 8 | SD | Ian Kennedy | 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.
So baseball nerds don’t want to watch Verlander pitch?!