One Night Only: Games for Weekend of June 10th

Zack Greinke holds a press conference in front of a forest fire.

This edition of One Night Only contains:

1. Expanded previews for six games — including two with Charlie Blackmon.

2. Pitcher and Team NERD scores for every one of this weekend’s games — now arranged by time and hopefully more accurate.

3. Hella aplomb.

Friday, June 10th
Oakland (1) at Chicago Americans (2) | 20:10 ET
• Oaklander Graham Godfrey, 26, makes his major-league debut tonight, pitching for the A’s.
• Godfrey this season, in nine Triple-A starts: 50.1 IP, 8.05 K/9, 2.50 BB/9, 0.36 HR/9, 3.06 FIP.
• Brent Lillibridge Watch: 101 PA, .282/.374/.588 (.309 BABIP, .256 xBABIP), .408 wOBA, 157 wRC+, 1.2 WAR.

Los Angeles Nationals (3) at Colorado (7) | 20:40 ET
• Read about Jhoulys Chacin’s unexpectedly high ground-ball rate here.
• Charlie Blackmon Watch: 11 PA, 0 BB, 1 K, 6 GB, 4 BIA (Balls in Air).
• Dee Gordon Watch: 13 PA, 0 BB, 4 K, 3 GB, 5 BIA, 1 BU (Bunt Hit), 1-1 SB.

Saturday, June 11th
Chicago Nationals (0) at Philadelphia (2) | 16:10 ET
• Matt Garza (10) faces Cliff Lee (also 10).
• Question: Is Shane Victorino the most interesting field player (with more than 100 PA) in this game?
• Because that’s what Player NERD says.

St. Louis (5) at Milwaukee (8) | 19:10 ET
• Here’s Zack Greinke’s (10) line, just in from Stupid Town: 41.0 IP, 11.20 K/9. 1.54 BB/9, 38.5% GB, 2.08 xFIP, 56 xFIP-.
• Here’re Greinke’s ranks among the 147 pitchers with 40+ innings: K/9, 1st; BB/9, 9th; xFIP, 1st.
• Here’s a picture of Greinke giving a press conference in front of a forest fire. (Above, in case you didn’t see.)

Sunday, June 12th
Los Angeles Nationals (3) at Colorado (7) | 15:10 ET
• Rubby De La Rosa, in his first major-league start: 5.0 IP, 23 TBF, 4 K, 5 BB, 8 GB on 14 batted-balls (57.1%).
• Four of those five walks came in the first two innings.
• Ubaldo Jimenez (6) in two June starts: 16.0 IP, 57 TBF, 15 K, 0 BB, 52.4% GB, 1.92 xFIP.

Washington (5) at San Diego (5) | 16:05 ET
• Tim Stauffer (7), ace pitcher? Line: 78.0 IP, 7.27 K/9, 2.31 BB/9, 52.3% GB, 3.06 xFIP, 82 xFIP-.
• San Diego prospect Anthony Rizzo, major-league debut (6/9): 4 PA, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 BIA.
• Michael Morse, home runs per game (over last 16 games): 0.4375.

Also Playing
These games are very likely playing at some kind of sporty channel near you. (All probables taken directly from MLB.com.)

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

pNERD = Pitcher NERD
tNERD = Team NERD
Game = Time and Average NERD for Game
* = Fewer than 20 IP, NERD of 5 (or 10 for debuts)