NERD Game Scores for Thursday, May 7, 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.

Most Highly Rated Game
Los Angeles NL at Milwaukee | 13:40 ET
Frias (7.2 IP, 87 xFIP-) vs. Fiers (24.2 IP, 82 xFIP-)
Three years ago, following the completion of that season in which Michael Pineda had produced three-plus wins with Seattle despite almost the complete absence of a third pitch, the author endeavored to identify the next Michael Pineda. The idea: to find a pitcher in the high minors who threw roughly 95 mph (like Pineda) and also featured above-average control (like Pineda). The result: Garrett Richards. Richards’ success wasn’t immediate — he didn’t record his first signature season until last year — but he’s retained that pairing of skills and they continue to benefit him. This most recent offseason, the author endeavored to find the next next Michael Pineda (or simply the next Garrett Richards, perhaps). The result of that second effort: Carlos Frias. Frias exhibited both of the relevant skills in his first start of the season last Friday, sitting at just under 96 mph while recording just a single walk over 5.1 innings (box).

Readers’ Preferred Broadcast: Milwaukee Radio.

Two Brief Notes
Result of the Game for People with Friends
In yesterday’s edition of this same daily feature, the author proposed a game for those readers who have not only made in the first place, but somehow also sustained, friendships with other human people. The basic rules: identify which of yesterday’s very hard-throwing collection of starters would record the highest average fastball velocity over the course of his start. The result: either Carlos Carrasco or Mike Foltynewicz. Which, an explanation about that. Using Baseball Savant’s PITCHf/x tool, one finds that Foltynewicz produced the slightly higher average four-seam velocity (95.91 to 95.79 mph). Incorporating those pitches classified as two-seamers and sinkers, as well, however, the results change: 95.48 mph for Carrasco, 94.56 mph for Mike Foltynewicz. Everyone sort of loses, in other words — just like in life.

Regarding Today’s Free Game
Today’s free game features Oakland at Minnesota, starts at 1:10pm 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. 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
Drew Pomeranz	OAK	7	7	5	3	3	MIN	Ricky Nolasco*	13:10
Carlos Frias*	LAN	11	8	8	3	7	MIL	Mike Fiers	13:40
Jake Arrieta	CHN	8	6	6	5	5	STL	John Lackey	13:45
Corey Kluber	CLE	9	7	8	7	7	KC	Edinson Volquez	14:10
Kyle Lobstein	DET	5	4	4	0	5	CHA	Jose Quintana	14:10
Chris Tillman	BAL	3	6	6	6	8	NYA	Nathan Eovaldi	19:05
Ant. DeSclafani	CIN	7	6	6	6	6	PIT	A.J. Burnett	19:05
Nick Martinez	TEX	5	3	6	4	10	TB	Chris Archer	19:10
Od.r Despaigne	SD	4	4	6	5	9	AZ	Rubby de la Rosa	21:40
Collin McHugh	HOU	7	10	6	5	3	LAA	Hector Santiago	22:05
Dan Haren	MIA	4	5	4	4	4	SF	Tim Hudson	22:15

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