NERD Game Scores for Wednesday, August 27, 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 Detroit | 19:08 ET
Shane Greene (48.1 IP, 86 xFIP-, 0.9 WAR) faces David Price (201.1 IP, 72 xFIP-, 4.6 WAR). Despite continuing to trail Kansas City in the AL Central (by 1.5 games, currently) the Detroits remain the very slight favorites to win that same division, currently possessing 52% odds of doing so — versus the Royals’ mark of 46% — by the methodology used at this site. As for the remaining 2%, that’s assigned to Cleveland. The Twins and White Sox, meanwhile, will play out the balance of their respective schedules entirely free of Hope — i.e. a concept represented in Norse mythology, obviously, as saliva that’s dripped from the mouth of a giant wolf.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Detroit Radio.
Two Brief Notes
MLB Debut Alert, Alert: Cubs Prospect Jorge Soler
While it originally seemed possible that very talented Cubs prospect Jorge Soler would make his major-league debut yesterday (Tuesday), it appears more likely now that he’ll actually do that thing today (Wednesday).
Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Texas at Seattle, starts at 3:40pm 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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ad. Wainwright | STL | 5 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 5 | PIT | Jeff Locke | 12:35 |
| Colby Lewis | TEX | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 3 | SEA | Erasmo Ramirez | 15:40 |
| Drew Smyly | TB | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | BAL | Kevin Gausman | 19:05 |
| Doug Fister | WAS | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | PHI | Kyle Kendrick | 19:05 |
| Joe Kelly | BOS | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | TOR | Marcus Stroman | 19:07 |
| Shane Greene | NYA | 8 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 9 | DET | David Price | 19:08 |
| Julio Teheran | ATL | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 7 | NYN | Zack Wheeler | 19:10 |
| Jacob Turner | CHN | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | CIN | Mat Latos | 19:10 |
| Corey Kluber | CLE | 9 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | CHA | Hector Noesi | 20:10 |
| Phil Hughes | MIN | 9 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 4 | KC | Liam Hendriks* | 20:10 |
| Drew Pomeranz | OAK | 4 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | HOU | Brad Peacock | 20:10 |
| Yovani Gallardo | MIL | 4 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 | SD | Od. Despaigne | 21:10 |
| Clayton Kershaw | LAN | 10 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 8 | AZ | Wade Miley | 21:40 |
| Hen’son Alvarez | MIA | 7 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 3 | LAA | Hector Santiago | 22:05 |
| Franklin Morales | COL | 0 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 4 | SF | Tim Hudson | 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.
Frankie Morales, sporting that goose egg of pitcher score. Noice