NERD Game Scores: Mookie Betts Debut Event

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
Boston at New York AL | 20:05 ET
John Lackey (107.0 IP, 82 xFIP-, 2.6 WAR) faces Chase Whitley (42.0 IP, 105 xFIP-, 1.0 WAR). The attraction of this particular contest owes less to the identities of the probable starting pitchers (although neither Lackey nor Whitley are wholly without merit) and more to how it’s likely to represent the major-league debut of Boston prospect Mookie Betts. The 21-year-old has recorded not only impressive slash stats, but also equally impressive fielding-independent numbers, over ca. 250 plate appearances between Double- and Triple-A. A second baseman by trade, Betts is likely to play right field tonight — a position, that, at which he appears to have been deployed about twice ever in his professional career.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Boston Radio.

Three Brief Notes
Basically Arbitrary Mookie Betts Video
Here’s recent video selected almost entirely at random by the author of Red Sox prospect Mookie Betts hitting a home run on June 14th:

Regarding Odrisamer Despaigne, A Brief Summary of His Whole Self
In his debut this past Monday, Cuban and also Padres right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne conceded zero runs over 7.0 innings, but also recorded largely mediocre defense independent numbers, but also featured probably six different pitch types. He starts again today at 4:10pm ET against Arizona.

Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Detroit at Houston, starts at 2:10pm 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.

Away		SP	Tm.	Gm.	Tm.	SP		Home	Time
Jose Quintana	CHA	5	2	5	7	4	TOR	Mark Buehrle	13:07
Tommy Milone	OAK	2	7	5	8	7	MIA	Andrew Heaney*	13:10
Aaron Harang	ATL	4	7	4	1	5	PHI	David Buchanan	13:35
Bartolo Colon	NYN	5	2	4	5	2	PIT	Edinson Volquez	13:35
Alex Cobb	TB	7	6	5	5	2	BAL	Miguel Gonzalez	13:35
Jorge de la Rosa	COL	2	9	4	7	3	MIL	Yovani Gallardo	14:10
Drew Smyly	DET	5	4	4	6	1	HOU	Scott Feldman	14:10
C.J. Wilson	LAA	4	6	4	5	3	KC	Jeremy Guthrie	14:10
Kyle Gibson	MIN	3	3	3	3	2	TEX	Colby Lewis	15:05
Homer Bailey	CIN	8	4	6	6	5	SF	Tim Hudson	16:05
Mike Bolsinger	AZ	9	6	7	4	6	SD	Odris. Despaigne*	16:10
T.J. House	CLE	8	6	8	5	10	SEA	Felix Hernandez	16:10
Shelby Miller	STL	3	3	6	5	10	LAN	Clayton Kershaw	16:10
John Lackey	BOS	8	3	6	3	5	NYA	Chase Whitley	20:05

To learn how Game NERD Scores are calculated, click here.
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.