NERD Game Scores: Young Joe Ross Viewing Opportunity

July 21, 2015

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.

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Most Highly Rated Game
New York NL at Washington | 19:05 ET
deGrom (113.2 IP, 81 xFIP-) vs. Ross (20.1 IP, 55 xFIP-)
Today represents an excellent one for those interested in observing talented young pitchers. As noted below, both Boston’s Brian Johnson and Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola — in each case, first-round selections who’ve produced promising resumes as professionals — are expected to record their major-league debuts this evening. Of particular note with regard to this featured game, however, is both (a) the success (probably unexpected) that Washington right-hander Joe Ross has already enjoyed against major-league batters and (b) how the contest also features conspicuously talented and hard-throwing New York right-hander Jacob deGrom. In the end, however, the reader can’t go wrong with any of the three games mentioned here. Different than actual life, that, within the harrowing confines of which it’s impossible not to go constantly.

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: New York NL Television.

Two Brief Notes
Debuts: Starting Pitchers Brian Johnson and Aaron Nola
Both Boston’s Brian Johnson and Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola are expected to record their major-league debuts tonight. The former was ranked eighth among Red Sox prospects by Kiley McDaniel this past offseason and 104th among all prospects; the latter, third among Phillies prospects and 51st among all prospects.

Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Seattle at Detroit, starts at 19:08 ET, and can be accessed by means of this hyperlinked text.

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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
Wei-Yin Chen	BAL	5	6	7	7	8	NYA	Nathan Eovaldi	19:05
Jacob deGrom	NYN	10	5	7	5	10	WAS	Joe Ross	19:05
Nate Karns	TB	5	4	5	2	10	PHI	Aaron Nola*	19:05
Taijuan Walker	SEA	10	4	6	5	4	DET	Shane Greene	19:08
Jason Hammel	CHN	8	7	6	4	7	CIN	Raisel Iglesias	19:10
Brett Anderson	LAN	6	5	4	2	5	ATL	Alex Wood	19:10
Brian Johnson*	BOS	9	4	7	10	4	HOU	Vince Velasquez	20:10
Danny Salazar	CLE	10	7	6	3	4	MIL	Matt Garza	20:10
Gerrit Cole	PIT	10	8	7	6	2	KC	Jason Vargas	20:10
Michael Wacha	STL	9	5	5	1	7	CHA	Carlos Rodon	20:10
Matt Harrison*	TEX	3	3	3	4	0	COL	Kyle Kendrick	20:40
Mat Latos	MIA	6	5	5	5	4	AZ	J.my Hellickson	21:40
Kyle Gibson	MIN	5	4	5	7	5	LAA	Matt Shoemaker	22:05
Mark Buehrle	TOR	5	8	6	5	4	OAK	Ken. Graveman	22:05
Chris Heston	SF	6	5	5	4	4	SD	Od. Despaigne	22:10

* = Fewer than 10 IP, NERD at discretion of very handsome author.