NL East: Midseason Report

New York Mets

During the offseason, the New York Mets were able to trade for Johan Santana, thought to be the best pitcher in the game despite having an off year in 2007 of 15-13 and a 3.33 ERA.  

Many people might have thought that Santana was the missing piece needed to push the Mets over the top in the NL East and to avoid another collapse like last year.

All the Mets have pushed so far this season is third place in the East and GM Omar Minaya's overnight firing of manager Willie Randolph after a series-opening win in Anaheim. Both the hitting and pitching can only be considered average at best. 

What's more, this team has the third-highest payroll in the game. Santana's ERA is once again among the league's best, but his record is only at .500. As a fantasy owner, I expected more from him. 

Maybe it's because I respected him too much as a White Sox fan who watched his team get dominated by Santana during his many years with the Twins.

Philadelphia Phillies

The team that dethroned the Mets at the end of last season, the Philadelphia Phillies have been nothing short of impressive in 2008. 

The power-hitting trio of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Pat Burrell has led the way. Utley and Howard are the top-two leaders in home runs in all of baseball, with Burrell in a tie for fourth in that category. Howard has the second-most RBI, behind Josh Hamilton. 

Utley has impressed the fans so much that they voted for him more than any other National League player in the All-Star voting. Add the speedy Jimmy Rollins at leadoff to the mix, and you have one of the most exciting offenses in all of baseball.

Not only can Philly boast about their offense, but their closer Brad Lidge has reemerged as one of the best in baseball. 

After losing his closing job in Houston a year ago, Lidge has returned to his pre-Pujols-homer form by posting 19 saves in as many opportunities and having an ERA of 1.00. He hasn't even given up a homer this season, after giving up two huge ones in the 2005 postseason. 

To go from dropping off everyone's elite closers list to earning his way back on has been one amazing story.

Florida Marlins

Philadelphia's 123 home runs trail only the Florida Marlins at 126. While a new stadium in Miami continues to be an issue for the Fish, this team, with the lowest payroll in all of baseball, has turned heads once again. 

The middle infield of Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez has kept the Marlins in contention throughout the first half. They were even at the top of the East for a good period of time. Uggla ranks third in baseball in homers, and Ramirez will start at short for the National League in the All-Star Game. 

Outfielder Cody Ross has already set career highs in home runs and RBI, and third baseman Jorge Cantu is on pace to do the same. 

Despite all the power, however, their pitching ranks near the bottom of the league, and the team's batting average is hovering around the league average. If they want to compete for a spot in October, they'll have to improve in both areas.

Atlanta Braves

With Tom Glavine and John Smoltz both on the DL, it's obvious that the two former aces will probably no longer be factors in future teams' playoff runs. Don't tell that to the rest of the Braves' pitching staff, however, whose 3.77 ERA ranks second in the National League. 

Led by young gun Jair Jurrjens and veteran Tim Hudson, this staff has kept the team in contention. Then, of course, there's Chipper Jones, who will most likely run away with the National League batting title. He will be the National League's starting third baseman in New York next week and deservedly so. 

He can't do it by himself though, so Mark Teixeira picks up the slack by ranking among the best RBI men in baseball this season. 

However, both sides can only rely on a few players for so long, and that is why the Braves probably won't be in it come September.

Washington Nationals

While every division has its contenders, chances are you'll always find a team dead in the gutter. That's where we come to the Washington Nationals. 

Really, what good can be said about them? How about their new ballpark is nice? And how about Christian Guzman, who is having a nice year, thus leading to his All-Star selection? 

Really though, there's not much to say about a team that's dead last in batting average and doesn't really have much of a pitching staff. Check back on them in a few years and maybe they'll do well beyond the first week of the season.

Prediction

The Mets and Marlins will likely make the division race interesting down the stretch, but the issues at Shea and pitching woes in Miami won't allow either team to over take the Phillies, whose powerful offense and balanced pitching staff will give them their second-straight division title.

On Deck: NL Central