[Warning : LOTS OF CHARTS]

I imagine everyone knows what the statistic "game score" is? If you don't, this is for you.

I have a spreadsheet that I keep with information on starts by Giants pitchers. It's got data from opening day 1996 to, well, yesterday's game in it. Today, procrastinating packing to move, I was messing around with the "game score" column, and I wanna share some of what I came up with.

Here comes the science ...

Here are the Giants pitchers who have started ten or more games since 1996, post-season included, ranked by descending number of total starts:    

Here are their average game score, in descending order:

Man, Schmidt was good for us.  Can't say as I'm too unhappy I've never seen him in blue.  And I don't remember Kurt Ainsworth, Jermome Williams, or Sir Sidney being that good for us, and I don't think of Pat Misch or "Bad Brad" Hennessey as being that bad.  But, other than that - no real surprises I guess.

Here is a list of game score standard deviation.  Basically, the lower the SD, the most stable the pitcher was from start-to-start.  The higher the SD, the more the pitcher varied in how good a start you got from one to another (how "flaky" or "mercurial" they were)

The highest game score so far of the Enchanter's young career has been an 83, July 1st last year.  In his honor, here is some game score porn : all thirty-seven the Giants 83 or higher game scores from the past thirteen years of play :

* 2007-07-01 - Lincecum, at Hm vs ARI, Giants win 13-0 - 7.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 12 K, 0 HR, 97 Pitches, 83 Game Score

* 2007-05-20 - Morris, away vs OAK, Giants win 4-1 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 0 HR, 127 Pitches, 86 Game Score

* 2006-09-14 - Cain, at Hm vs COL, Giants win 5-0 - 8.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 HR, 118 Pitches, 84 Game Score

* 2006-08-21 - Lowry, at Hm vs ARI, Giants win 5-0 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 114 Pitches, 88 Game Score

* 2006-06-19 - Cain, at Hm vs LAA, Giants win 2-1 - 8.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 10 K, 0 HR, 131 Pitches, 84 Game Score

* 2006-06-06 - Schmidt, at Hm vs FLA, Giants win 2-1 - 9.0 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 16 K, 1 HR, 124 Pitches, 84 Game Score

* 2006-05-21 - Cain, away vs OAK, Giants win 6-0 - 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 120 Pitches, 87 Game Score

* 2006-05-03 - Schmidt, away vs MIL, Giants win 2-0 - 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 0 HR, 112 Pitches, 84 Game Score

* 2005-09-09 - Cain, at Hm vs CHC, Giants win 2-1 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 105 Pitches, 86 Game Score

* 2004-08-12 - Schmidt, away vs PIT, Giants win 7-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 120 Pitches, 89 Game Score

* 2004-08-03 - Lowry, at Hm vs CIN, Giants win 11-0 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 0 HR, 120 Pitches, 88 Game Score

* 2004-06-20 - Schmidt, at Hm vs BOS, Giants win 4-0 - 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 9 K, 0 HR, 133 Pitches, 92 Game Score

* 2004-05-18 - Schmidt, away vs CHC, Giants win 1-0 - 9.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 13 K, 0 HR, 144 Pitches, 97 Game Score

* 2003-09-30 - Schmidt, at Hm vs FLA, Giants win 2-0 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 111 Pitches, 86 Game Score

* 2003-06-24 - Schmidt, at Hm vs LA, Giants win 2-1 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 127 Pitches, 83 Game Score

* 2003-06-19 - Schmidt, away vs LA, Giants win 2-0 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 127 Pitches, 90 Game Score

* 2003-05-21 - Schmidt, away vs ARI, Giants win 6-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 0 HR, 119 Pitches, 87 Game Score

* 2003-04-30 - Schmidt, at Hm vs CHC, Giants win 5-0 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 12 K, 0 HR, 117 Pitches, 91 Game Score

* 2002-09-25 - LiHernandez, at Hm vs SD, Giants win 6-0 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 HR, 111 Pitches, 84 Game Score

* 2002-08-20 - Schmidt, at Hm vs NYM, Giants win 1-0 - 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 13 K, 0 HR, 128 Pitches, 90 Game Score

* 2002-08-19 - LiHernandez, away vs FLA, Giants win 3-0 - 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 0 HR, 138 Pitches, 83 Game Score

* 2002-07-12 - LiHernandez, at Hm vs COL, Giants win 9-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 8 K, 0 HR, 132 Pitches, 83 Game Score

* 2002-06-19 - Schmidt, at Hm vs TB, Giants win 8-0 - 9.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 127 Pitches, 87 Game Score

* 2002-05-28 - Schmidt, at Hm vs ARI, Giants win 1-0 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 112 Pitches, 86 Game Score

* 2000-08-18 - LiHernandez, at Hm vs ATL, Giants win 2-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 K, 0 HR, 121 Pitches, 87 Game Score

* 1999-09-14 - Estes, at Hm vs FLA, Giants win 3-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 0 HR, 107 Pitches, 85 Game Score

* 1998-09-20 - Estes, at Hm vs LA, Giants lose 1-0 - 8.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 1 HR, 114 Pitches, 83 Game Score

* 1998-06-28 - Gardner, at Hm vs TEX, Giants win 7-0 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 108 Pitches, 86 Game Score

* 1998-06-15 - Estes, at Hm vs COL, Giants lose 4-3 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 115 Pitches, 85 Game Score

* 1997-08-08 - Gardner, away vs MON, Giants win 4-0 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 HR, 103 Pitches, 89 Game Score

* 1997-07-04 - Estes, at Hm vs COL, Giants win 4-0 - 8.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 138 Pitches, 89 Game Score

* 1997-05-23 - Estes, at Hm vs STL, Giants win 2-0 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 128 Pitches, 85 Game Score

* 1997-04-30 - Gardner, away vs PIT, Giants win 6-1 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 105 Pitches, 88 Game Score

* 1997-04-26 - Estes, away vs HOU, Giants win 2-0 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 0 HR, 108 Pitches, 91 Game Score

* 1996-06-02 - MrkLeiter, away vs MON, Giants win 8-1 - 9.0 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K, 1 HR, 84 Game Score

* 1996-04-25 - Gardner, at Hm vs ATL, Giants win 8-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 90 Game Score

* 1996-04-06 - MrkLeiter, away vs FLA, Giants lose 1-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 HR, 85 Game Score

Hmmm ... we've averaged about three 83+ game scores per year in the past thirteen years, but we haven't seen one yet this year (highest so far this year - 79, Sanchez, 2008-04-25, at home vs CIN).  I'd guess with our current rotation, we'll see some more GSs in the 80s before the year is out ...

We have however seen a GS of 9 from Matt Cain in April.  Here are all the nineteen worst starts by Giants pitchers, i.e. GS < 10, from the past thirteen years (one of them ugggghhh being Russ Ortiz, game two of the 2002 WS)  :

* 2008-04-18 - Cain, away vs STL, Giants lose 11-1 - 3.2 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 80 Pitches, 9 Game Score

* 2006-09-22 - Sanchez, away vs MIL, Giants lose 13-12 - 2.0 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 0 HR, 65 Pitches, 9 Game Score

* 2006-09-21 - Morris, away vs MIL, Giants lose 9-4 - 4.1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 77 Pitches, 7 Game Score

* 2006-09-18 - Lowry, away vs COL, Giants lose 20-8 - 1.1 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 45 Pitches, -3 Game Score

* 2005-08-09 - Hennessey, away vs ATL, Giants lose 7-1 - 2.2 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 0 HR, 81 Pitches, 9 Game Score

* 2005-07-23 - Hennessey, at Hm vs FLA, Giants lose 16-4 - 4.1 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 88 Pitches, 9 Game Score

* 2004-04-30 - Correia, at Hm vs FLA, Giants win 12-9 - 2.0 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 59 Pitches, 7 Game Score

* 2003-07-03 - Rueter, away vs STL, Giants lose 9-5 - 3.0 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 3 HR, 86 Pitches, 8 Game Score

* 2003-04-09 - RyJensen, at Hm vs SD, Giants win 15-11 - 2.0 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 61 Pitches, 8 Game Score

* 2002-10-20 - RuOrtiz, away vs ANA, Giants lose 11-10 - 1.1 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 47 Pitches, 7 Game Score

* 2002-07-26 - RuOrtiz, at Hm vs LA, Giants lose 11-6 - 2.0 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 0 HR, 58 Pitches, 6 Game Score

* 2002-06-18 - LiHernandez, at Hm vs TB, Giants lose 8-3 - 2.1 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 72 Pitches, 8 Game Score

* 2002-04-27 - RyJensen, away vs CIN, Giants lose 8-4 - 2.1 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 56 Pitches, 8 Game Score

* 2001-06-03 - Gardner, away vs COL, Giants lose 11-2 - 3.1 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 93 Pitches, 3 Game Score

* 2001-05-06 - Rueter, away vs PHI, Giants lose 10-8 - 1.0 IP, 6 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 52 Pitches, 7 Game Score

* 2000-05-12 - Nathan, away vs COL, Giants lose 15-7 - 2.1 IP, 9 H, 12 R, 10 ER, 4 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 87 Pitches, -7 Game Score

* 1999-06-15 - Brock, away vs COL, Giants lose 15-6 - 3.1 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 65 Pitches, 2 Game Score

* 1998-05-23 - Darwin, away vs STL, Giants lose 11-10 - 1.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 43 Pitches, 8 Game Score

* 1998-05-13 - Gardner, at Hm vs MON, Giants lose 9-5 - 2.1 IP, 11 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 4 HR, 54 Pitches, 2 Game Score

And here are the ten lucky f*ckers who got a GS under 20, but the GMen still won the game:

* 2005-09-23 - Kinney, away vs COL, Giants win 7-6 - 2.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 53 Pitches, 15 Game Score

* 2005-08-16 - Schmidt, away vs CIN, Giants win 10-8 - 3.2 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 91 Pitches, 16 Game Score

* 2004-05-02 - Rueter, at Hm vs FLA, Giants win 9-8 - 4.1 IP, 8 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 2 K, 0 HR, 95 Pitches, 19 Game Score

* 2004-04-30 - Correia, at Hm vs FLA, Giants win 12-9 - 2.0 IP, 6 H, 9 R, 8 ER, 3 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 59 Pitches, 7 Game Score

* 2003-04-09 - RyJensen, at Hm vs SD, Giants win 15-11 - 2.0 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 0 K, 2 HR, 61 Pitches, 8 Game Score

* 1999-07-06 - Estes, away vs SD, Giants win 10-9 - 5.0 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 HR, 92 Pitches, 17 Game Score (Estes actually gets the W)

* 1999-06-20 - Brock, at Hm vs CHC, Giants win 7-6 - 3.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 84 Pitches, 18 Game Score

* 1999-06-12 - Rueter, away vs SEA, Giants win 15-11 - 5.1 IP, 10 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 107 Pitches, 15 Game Score (Woody actually gets the W)

* 1999-04-06 - Rueter, away vs CIN, Giants win 7-6 - 1.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 63 Pitches, 12 Game Score

* 1998-04-26 - Gardner, at Hm vs MIL, Giants win 8-7 - 2.0 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 58 Pitches, 14 Game Score

And here are the heartbreakers that get the "Matt Cain 2007 Award" winners, dudes who mowed down the opposition, GS of 77 or higher, but bullpen meltdowns and poor run support meant we still lost  :

* 2007-04-17 - Cain, away vs COL, Giants lose 5-3 - 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 0 HR, 110 Pitches, 77 Game Score

* 2006-08-13 - Schmidt, away vs LAD, Giants lose 1-0 - 8.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 0 HR, 115 Pitches, 80 Game Score

* 2006-08-05 - Lowry, at Hm vs COL, Giants lose 2-1 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 0 HR, 121 Pitches, 79 Game Score

* 2004-07-06 - Schmidt, at Hm vs COL, Giants lose 8-6 - 7.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 12 K, 1 HR, 116 Pitches, 78 Game Score

* 2004-06-29 - Lowry, away vs LA, Giants lose 2-1 - 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 K, 1 HR, 88 Pitches, 77 Game Score

* 2001-08-17 - LiHernandez, at Hm vs ATL, Giants lose 2-1 - 9.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 K, 0 HR, 114 Pitches, 79 Game Score (Livan actually gets the loss)

* 1999-07-25 - Estes, at Hm vs CIN, Giants lose 2-1 - 8.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 8 K, 1 HR, 128 Pitches, 78 Game Score

* 1998-09-20 - Estes, at Hm vs LA, Giants lose 1-0 - 8.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 1 HR, 114 Pitches, 83 Game Score (Estes actually gets the loss)

* 1998-06-15 - Estes, at Hm vs COL, Giants lose 4-3 - 9.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K, 0 HR, 115 Pitches, 85 Game Score

* 1996-04-06 - MrkLeiter, away vs FLA, Giants lose 1-0 - 9.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, 0 HR,  Pitches, 85 Game Score