You don't need a metric invented by guru Bill James to know that Ervin Santana's two-hit shutout Wednesday was a gem — and one of the best-pitched games by a Twin in recent memory.
But a James invention called Game Score does give us one way of measuring just how good Santana was — and just how rare his performance was in the context of recent Twins pitchers.
Game Score, per Baseball Reference, is derived thusly:
Start with 50 points. Add 1 point for each out recorded, (or 3 points per inning). Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th. Add 1 point for each strikeout. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed. Subtract 1 point for each walk.
As I understand it, in general, a game score above 60 is good. Above 70 is quite good. Above 80 is outstanding. Above 90 is one of the best-pitched games of a season. And above 100 is one of the best-pitched games of all-time.
And on Wednesday, Santana notched a Game Score of 91 — just the seventh game in all of MLB this season at 90 or more.
When you add up Santana's day in the context of the Game Score, you see how he racked up points: he allowed just two hits and zero runs. He didn't walk anyone. He struck out eight batters. And he worked the full nine innings.
Those factors are always going to help a Game Score — with low hit totals, working deep in a ballgame and high strikeout totals being the hallmarks of high numbers.
