(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
National League
East: Philadelphia Phillies (38-34)
Strengths: offense, depth, defense
Weaknesses: pitching, unwillingness to trade prospects
Top competition: New York Mets (37-35), 1.0 GB; Florida Marlins (38-37), 1.5 GB
The defending champs certainly haven't been playing like it this year. The pitching has been dreadful, and that's putting it lightly.
The offense has been alright, but overall, this team looks a step or two below the level they played at last year to take home their first championship since 1980.
Offense hasn't been a problem for this team, with the white-hot Raul Ibanez, former MVP Ryan Howard, All-Star Chase Utley, and right fielder Jayson Werth all ripping the cover off the baseball. Jimmy Rollins has struggled, however, as his batting average sits at just .211.
Shane Victorino has lived up to his moniker as the Flyin' Hawaiian, batting .297, while scoring 49 runs and stealing 12 bases. Pedro Feliz, a defense-first type of third baseman, has also contributed, hitting .285 with 36 RBI.
The defense played by this team, primarily Feliz, Rollins, and Utley, has been at a high level all season. Howard is still sloppy at times, but he is showing promise as he tries to bring his defense near the level of his otherworldly abilities with the bat. Victorino adds more defense patrolling center field as well.
Depth and flexibility is evident with this team, not only offensively but defensively. John Mayberry and Matt Stairs are two very solid pinch-hitting options, as both can come off the bench to perform in clutch at-bats late in the game.
Greg Dobbs and Eric Bruntlett also give the team a pair of defensively talented infielders who can be stopgaps in case of injury to Rollins, Utley, or Feliz.
The starting rotation has had more than its share of troubles this season, though. Ace Cole Hamels is currently 4-4 with a 4.44 ERA, hardly acceptable numbers from your team's best pitcher. Joe Blanton, the second pitcher, has added four wins and a 5.06 ERA.
Jamie Moyer, the crafty lefty, has been far from crafty, as he has been tagged for 5.97 ERA to go along with his 5-6 record.
Brett Myers, the opening day starter, is out for the season with a hip injury, and in his place, rookie Antonio Bastardo has gone 2-3 with a 6.75 ERA, compared to Myers' 4.66.
Brad Lidge as been abysmal in the closer role, notching a 7.86 ERA while also having spent some time on the disabled list.
Continuing the trend of sub-par performance, Chad Durbin, Jack Taschner, and Chan Ho Park combine for a 5.36 ERA in 117 innings.
J.C. Romero has been effective since his return to the league, but faced a 50-game suspension from baseball to start the season due to testing positive for a banned substance.
The only other bright spot in this 'pen has been Ryan Madson, who owns a 2.97 ERA through 36 innings, also striking out 39 batters.
It has been made well known that the Phillies are looking to add a starting pitcher to try and shore up the biggest problem that has plagued the team this year.
However, the Phillies will have a hard time acquiring an Erik Bedard or Jake Peavy-type pitcher that they have been searching for due to their hesitance to give up a top prospect.
The Phillies' front office has come out and said that they will refuse to listen on top prospects Dominic Brown, Lou Marson, Kyle Drabek, Jason Knapp, Carlos Carrasco, or Antonio Bastardo, only leaving the door open for a potential trade on prospects Michael Taylor and Jason Donald.
It seems the Phillies, who are searching for and are in great need of an impact pitcher, are trying to be beggars and choosers here. It's fine that they want to groom their prospects and give them a future in the Phillies organization, but refusing to listen on any top prospect is no way to conduct trade talks for elite talent. That's my take on it, at least.
If the Phillies want to win this division for the third year in a row, they're going to have to return to the high level of play that they used to put pressure on the Mets during their epic chokes of '07 and '08. The red-hot Marlins are right behind, as are the Mets, who are looking to redeem themselves for failures past.
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