LIST: Who Will Win the NL East?

• 1

  Philadelphia Phillies The Phillies certainly can hit; they are the only team to outhomer the Marlins thus far. They only trail the Cubs in runs scored per game, and are fourth in the NL in team ERA, despite playing in a hitters' park. The bullpen has held up nicely this year, but can Brad Lidge stay effective as the pennant race heats up? It will certainly be interesting to see whether Brett Myers can put his game together for the stretch run. The Phils certainly would like him to regain his stuff and join Cole Hamels in a formidable one-two punch. If not, then their rotation looks very pedestrian, and pitching wins championships, as the saying goes... However, if their pitching holds up, then the Phils can easily take away the division crown with their lineup. They have 8 games left against the Marlins (including tonight), but only 5 left against the Mets. The Phils also have 9 games left against the woeful Nationals, which gives them an added opportunity to pile up some wins (The Marlins face the Nats 6 times, the Mets, 9 times). Odds of winning the division: 50%

• 2

  Florida Marlins I'll begin with the obvious: the Marlins can rake. They only trail the Cubs in OPS+ The infield has a decent chance of becoming the first ever to have all four infielders hit 25 home runs in a season. Also obvious, their fielding is atrocious. But the most telling weakness of this team is the pitching staff's propensity for walks. Florida walks 3.9 batters per game, only San Francisco and Pittsburgh are worse - not good company... Getting Anibal Sanchez and Josh Johnson back should bolster the rotation, but the bullpen will make or break this team. If they can cut down on their walks, then the Marlins' lineup and improved rotation (with Johnson and Sanchez) could put them over the top. The Fish play the Phillies 8 more times this year (including tonight) and the Mets 9 more times, so they'll have plenty of opportunities to help themselves. They finish the season with a 3-game set against the Mets in Shea, so the final weekend of the season could be quite exciting. Odds of winning the division: 35%

• 3

  New York Mets The Mets score a lot of runs, and their lineup is quite formidable with Beltran, Wright, and Reyes holding things down, but can they win the division with such average pitching? (There ERA+ now stands at an even 100). It would be great for them if Pedro Martinez returns to vintage form, but I wouldn't hold your breath on that one. Apart from Johan Santana, the rotation is not daunting. Oliver Perez and John Maine have yet to consistently play up to their potential, and Pedro remains a big question mark, as mentioned earlier. The Mets may yet mash their way into the playoffs like they did in 2006, but it remains to be seen if they can overcome the Fish and the Phils. The Mets only get 5 more chances against the Phillies, but they do have 9 games against the Marlins, and 9 against the Nats. Odds of winning the division: 15%

• 4	Braves/Nationals Come on, let's be serious here... not a chance.

Vote this post up or down: