NERD Game Scores for Tuesday, September 9, 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
Kansas City at Detroit | 19:18 ET
Jason Vargas (169.0 IP, 105 xFIP-, 2.8 WAR) faces Max Scherzer (193.2 IP, 80 xFIP-, 5.0 WAR). Following Detroit’s win over Kansas City yesterday (box), the latter simultaneously trails the former by a game in the standings but now also leads by about three percentage points in the playoff odds. One notes that the aforementioned figures do not include the curiously suspended game between Cleveland and KC, which the latter is likely to lose. Pitching for the Tigers is Max Scherzer, whom some would argue is a candidate for the Cy Young award, while others would argue he’s not, while still others would prefer to stab themselves in the genitals than engage in that particular conversation.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Detroit Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Promotion Alert: Right-Hander Matt Barnes
Well-regarded Boston prospect Matt Barnes was promoted to the majors on Monday. Selected 19th overall by the Red Sox in the 2011 draft out of UConn, Barnes has appeared on multiple top-100 lists over the past couple seasons.
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Oakland at Chicago AL, starts at 8:10pm 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ervin Santana | ATL | 8 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 10 | WAS | J. Zimmermann | 19:05 |
| Trevor May | MIN | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | CLE | Trevor Bauer | 19:05 |
| Edinson Volquez | PIT | 3 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 5 | PHI | David Buchanan | 19:05 |
| Chris Archer | TB | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | NYA | Hiroki Kuroda | 19:05 |
| Jake Arrieta | CHN | 9 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | TOR | Mark Buehrle | 19:07 |
| Jason Vargas | KC | 5 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | DET | Max Scherzer | 19:08 |
| Chris Tillman | BAL | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | BOS | Ant’ny Ranaudo | 19:10 |
| Christ. Bergman | COL | 2 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 9 | NYN | Jacob deGrom | 19:10 |
| Michael Wacha | STL | 10 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 7 | CIN | Mike Leake | 19:10 |
| Hector Santiago | LAA | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | TEX | Colby Lewis | 20:05 |
| Tom Koehler | MIA | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | MIL | Matt Garza | 20:10 |
| Jon Lester | OAK | 9 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 4 | CHA | John Danks | 20:10 |
| Collin McHugh | HOU | 8 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 6 | SEA | Roenis Elias | 22:10 |
| Andrew Cashner | SD | 9 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 2 | LAN | Rob. Hernandez | 22:10 |
| Wade Miley | AZ | 9 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | SF | Yusmeiro Petit | 22:15 |
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.
I would never choose a genital stabbing over having a debate about baseball