Another week is wrapping up in Diamond Dynasty. It was a relatively calm week, and included a weekend with a free pack of cards going to every single user. The Baseball Is Better pack and Break The Scoreboard packs were released (everybody got one Baseball Is Better pack delivered to them for free). With that in mind, it's time to look ahead once again and try to predict who might be getting a ratings boost on Monday morning.
I'll be breaking the predictions into tiers based on my own confidence level.
Ratings Boost Probability: High
-Mike Fiers - Of course I'm leading off with the guy who threw a no hitter one week after Iwakuma. He's having a good month overall, striking out just under one batter an inning and allowing less than a baserunner an inning.
-Hisashi Iwakuma - Of course, I have to include Iwakuma again as he did not get a no-no bump last week. He's having a better month overall than Fiers.
-A.J. Pollock - Pollock is just a beast, especially for fantasy purposes. The average is over .320, he's stealing every base he can, and he just can't be stopped from getting on base.
-Miguel Sano - Sano is going to strike out a ton (and has), but the power is so legit (eight home runs the last month), and he's getting on base enough to make everything work. He's also just 22.
Ratings Boost Probability: Moderate
-Carlos Gonzalez - Remember when Carlos Gonzalez had like four home runs, and people were like man I guess he's sort of finished? Yeah, me neither. Now he has 29 home runs, including 15 in the last month. Holy crap.
-Gerardo Parra - Parra clearly has not had any issue adjusting after being traded to the Orioles. He's hitting bombs now as well to go along with his usual strong batting line.
-Madison Bumgarner - Bumgarner was downgraded in the major update on 8/10. But all he's done is hit bombs and get results every start. If he's going to be boosted back up to Diamond or near-Diamond status, this week seems like it would be the one to do it.
-Ian Kennedy - Kennedy is another one of those pitchers where his HR/flyball ratio was just so insane that at some point it would level out. It has, and now he's put together his best month with a 2.15 ERA and 1.12 WHIP while striking out over a batter an inning.
-Jake Arrieta - Arrieta has put together another amazing month, and he hasn't even allowed a run in three of his last four starts.
Ratings Boost Probability: Low
-Travis Shaw - I have no idea how Shaw is killing the ball after struggling so hard at Triple-A, but man he's got six home runs and a .387 average in his 60-plus at bats, so yeah that's a thing. Sample size beware and so on, but it's still impressive.
-Curtis Granderson - There are players on hotter streaks than Granderson, but his OPS is now over .800 on the season, and I just think in general he's worthy of an upgrade.
-Shawn Tolleson - Tolleson keeps rolling along as the closer for the Rangers. He was downgraded in the major update on 8/10, but I think he's proven he's for real.
-Hector Rondon -- Rondon is another guy who has solidified the back of a pen. He's been great for the Cubs and is terrifying to face in general.
-Joe Blanton - Holy crap Joe Blanton is really good at being a long-relief man. I don't think he will get boosted, but man, he's somehow striking out everything that moves. Joe Blanton is striking out the world! Let the Joe Blanton Revival Tour roll on forever.