NERD Game Scores for Wednesday, May 21, 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
Arizona at St. Louis | 20:15 ET
Brandon McCarthy (55.2 IP, 72 xFIP-, 0.5 WAR) faces Michael Wacha (54.1 IP, 78 xFIP-, 1.2 WAR). While the former has conceded almost precisely five earned runs for every nine innings recorded this season, he’s produced the fielding-independent numbers of a pitcher who’d generally allow runs at about half that rate. McCarthy’s strikeout-walk differential (18.0%) is currently twice his career average while his ground-ball rate (54.1%) is also considerably higher than previously established levels.
Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: St. Louis Radio.
Two Brief Notes
Regarding Chase Whitley’s Changeup, Explicit Footage of It
Right-hander Chase Whitley makes his second major-league appearance for the Yankees this afternoon in Chicago. Here’s explicit footage of his changeup from last week against the Mets:
Regarding 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.
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 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Scherzer | DET | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | CLE | Zach McAllister | 12:05 |
| Chris Young | SEA | 0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | TEX | Nick Tepesch* | 14:05 |
| Chase Whitley* | NYA | 9 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 6 | CHN | Jeff Samardzija | 14:20 |
| Alfredo Simon | CIN | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | WAS | Tanner Roark | 16:05 |
| Chris Tillman | BAL | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | PIT | Wandy Rodriguez | 19:05 |
| Hyun-Jin Ryu | LAN | 5 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 8 | NYN | Jacob deGrom* | 19:10 |
| Kyle Lohse | MIL | 5 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 9 | ATL | Ervin Santana | 19:10 |
| Tommy Milone | OAK | 1 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | TB | Erik Bedard | 19:10 |
| Kyle Kendrick | PHI | 2 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 10 | MIA | Nathan Eovaldi | 19:10 |
| D. Hutchison | TOR | 7 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | BOS | Clay Buchholz | 19:10 |
| Jose Quintana | CHA | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | KC | Jeremy Guthrie | 20:10 |
| Bran. McCarthy | AZ | 10 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 10 | STL | Michael Wacha | 20:15 |
| Matt Cain | SF | 3 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 2 | COL | Jhoulys Chacin* | 20:40 |
| Phil Hughes | MIN | 7 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | SD | Tyson Ross | 21:10 |
| Collin McHugh | HOU | 7 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 3 | LAA | Jered Weaver | 22:05 |
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.
D-Backs v Cards is the free game of the day, according to the aforementioned hyperlinked text.