NERD Game Scores for Tuesday, May 24, 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
New York NL at Washington | 19:05 ET
Harvey (48.1 IP, 97 xFIP-) vs. Strasburg (61.0 IP, 69 xFIP-)
A brief examination of the matter appears to suggest that Mets right-hander Matt Harvey both (a) continues to possess a number of the qualities typically also possessed by elite pitchers but that he (b) has nevertheless experienced some difficulties of late in terms of preventing runs. During his most recent start, for example — against Washington, as well — he didn’t acquit himself particularly well in terms of preventing runs, conceding nine of them (six earned) over just 2.2 innings (box). FanGraphs’ Eno Sarris, after performing the requisite forensic analysis, determined that a combination of slightly diminished velocity and less slightly diminished command of the slider is likely to blame. So this, it seems is what one ought to monitor tonight: Harvey’s fastball velocity and his command of the slider.
Readers’ Preferred Television Broadcast: New York NL.
Two Other Brief Notes
Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Baltimore at Houston, starts at 20:10 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.
Broadcaster Rankings
Recently, the present author began the process of reproducing the broadcaster rankings which appeared on this site roughly four years ago. The final installment of the results from that effort — for television broadcasts, at least — appeared Thursday.
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 | ||
| Jake Odorizzi | TB | 4 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 0 | MIA | Tom Koehler | 12:10 |
| Shelby Miller | AZ | 1 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | PIT | Francisco Liriano | 19:05 |
| Matt Harvey | NYN | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 10 | WAS | Stephen Strasburg | 19:05 |
| R.A. Dickey | TOR | 10 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 10 | NYA | Nathan Eovaldi | 19:05 |
| Jason Hammel | CHN | 5 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 | STL | Michael Wacha | 19:10 |
| Jorge de la Rosa | COL | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 9 | BOS | David Price | 19:10 |
| Jimmy Nelson | MIL | 3 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | ATL | Julio Teheran | 19:10 |
| Jeremy Hellickson | PHI | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 5 | DET | Justin Verlander | 19:10 |
| Jhoulys Chacin | LAA | 7 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | TEX | Martin Perez | 20:05 |
| Chris Tillman | BAL | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | HOU | Doug Fister | 20:10 |
| Josh Tomlin | CLE | 5 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 8 | CHA | Chris Sale | 20:10 |
| Edinson Volquez | KC | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | MIN | Ervin Santana | 20:10 |
| Daniel Wright* | CIN | 6 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | LAN | Mike Bolsinger* | 22:10 |
| Kendall Graveman | OAK | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | SEA | Nate Karns | 22:10 |
| Andrew Cashner | SD | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | SF | Jeff Samardzija | 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 clueless author.
Carson Cistulli has published a book of aphorisms called Spirited Ejaculations of a New Enthusiast.