Updated NL EAST Predictions

1st. Phillies (92-70). I may have been wrong about Colorado, but I nailed this one spot on. I will not be humble, either. This team does not give a shit if they are down 15-0, they will come back. They know they will come back, they dont care who is pitching, be it a 46 year old with a high 70's heater (Jamie Moyer) or a cast-off who is about a mile past done (Rodrigo Lopez). They play the best defense in the NL. They have the best offense in the NL, and they weathered a June in which their bullpen blew 8 saves. They are up 7 games in their division with 8 blown saves in June. To me, thats astonishing. It doesnt matter if they lose close or get blown out, they never turn on each other and never slow down. Raul Ibanez is still having a career year , hitting .315 with 25 homers. The DL slowed him a bit in his quest for 100 RBI's and 100 runs, but he should still hit .300 with 35+ HR's, and I suppose the park gets a lot of credit (as well as his surrounding lineup). Jimmy Rollins gave them nothing thru June and still, they are up. Cole Hamels gave them very little also, and still, they win. They signed a 37 year old Pedro Martinez on the off chance he can give them something, anything at all. I doubt he will, but they do not need much with this offense. They are a lock to win the East. I am calling it over right now. Roy Halladay or not, it is done. Phils are going to be back in the World Series in a few months, barring injury.

2. Braves (86-76). I figure this is a bit of a reach, given the fact they have yet to get 2 games over 500 all year, but they have the best starting pitching in the NL, bar none, and their offense is coming around. Since the beginning of the year, this team has gone thru a lot: they have sent down prospect CF Jordan Schafer and replaced him with Nate McClouth, a huge upgrade. They have traded RF Jeff Franceour for Ryan Church, another upgrade, though not a huge one. They have called up righty Tommy Hanson and he has been fantastic, netting a sub 3 era along with a spotless 5-0 record. They have benched 2b Kelly Johnson for Martin Prado (negligible difference) and they have settled on a closer: Rafael Soriano (1 blown save). The team has weather close loss after close loss, lack of power, and is starting to put pieces together. The division is so bad outside of Philly, Atlanta has a decent shot at the wild card.

3. Florida (79-83). Since I have to pick a third place team, I guess I will pick Florida. This is solely third place by attrition, because the Mets are fielding a team consisting of 5 minor leaguers, a circus clown and 2 gypsies. Florida still has a top 5 player (SS Hanley Ramirez) and a top 10 pitcher (righty Josh Johnson) but beyond that, not much. Their pen has been a disaster, 2b Dan Uggla (260 in 08, 227 in 09) has regressed and RF Jeremy Hermedia has not developed as hoped. 1b Jorge Cantu has been solid, but they have gotten nothing from 3b or LF. This team is aimless and will probably not get any better until they get a new stadium and more revenue. Another wasted year for the Fish.

4. Mets (75-87). I know the Mets wont be winning 80 games, and I assume that they wont be rushing back their hurt superstars (CF Carlos Beltran, 1b Carlos Delgado, and SS Jose "Carlos" Reyes), so perhaps they will not even win 77 games. What a horrid season. Nothing has gone right in the debut of their new stadium. 3b David Wright is on pace for less than 15 homers, maybe not even 10. They are getting zero production from almost every single spot in the order. They dont pitch, they dont hit, they dont play defense. They have a bad manager, a bad GM, and one pitcher worth mentioning (lefty Johan Santana). They paid $15 mil a year for a closer they cannot use (because they are never winning) and things are not going to get better. This team blows September leads every year, and now they will enter the month no less than 10 games back of Philly and possibly Atlanta as well. The only chance they have to win 80 games is if all their players come back completely healthy and ready to play. Frankly, there is no reason to risk it. They are done. They are garbage.

5. Washington (59-103). Possibly the worst team I have ever seen. I still dont know how they are this bad. They have some talent. I guess when you lose it snowballs and gets worse. This team could lose 110-120 games. Its possible. I would not be shocked. Not much else to say.