NL East Wrap-Up: Phils On Top

About 50 games into this 2009 season, the N.L. East looks to be headed in the same direction it took last year, with the Phils on top.

Here are the standings right now:

Team           Record      GB

Phillies        32-20        --

NY Mets      28-24       4.0

Atlanta       26-26        6.0

Florida        26-29        7.5

Washington 14-38        18.5

Washington Nationals

The Nationals find themselves struggling yet again. While they do have strong talent in Adam Dunn, who has 16 homers and 42 RBI, and Nick Johnson, who is batting .328, they cannot seem to get everything together.

Their pitching is keeping them down. John Lannan is leading the Nats with a ho-hum 4.21 ERA. Martis is 5-1 with 26 strikeouts, but it is simply not enough to push the Nationals to a winning season.

Florida Marlins

The Marlins started off the season playing great. They were 11-1 after 12 games and were first in the N.L. East, but then they lost seven straight and were swept by the entire state of Pennsylvania.

While you cannot count out the Marlins just yet, there is no doubt that thier inconsistent play is hurting them. They have the talent, now it is just a matter of making it all happen.

Atlanta Braves 

The Braves are a team you can never count out, because when they got hot, they can sneak up and take the N.L. East without anyone noticing.

That being said, the Braves are in trouble.

Chipper Jones only has five homers, Yunel Escobar has just 27 RBI, and the Braves have been hanging around 500 for quite some time.

If they want to win this division, they need to start playing consistent baseball. Like the Marlins, they have the talent, now it is just a matter of using it.

New York Mets

The Mets are struggling, their is no denying that. But if they can just get their offense going, they will be a contender in the N.L. East, as they have been the past few years.

Beltran has only seven home runs this year, and while he does have 32 RBI, it will not be enough to win games. Other Mets hitters are going to have to step up their game if New York is going to compete with Ibanez and the Phils.

Pitching has not been a major problem for the Mets, with Santana putting up 89 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.00.

Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies are hot. They have won six in a row, including completing a sweep of the Padres last night, and have one of the best hitters in baseball with Raul Ibanez, who has posted 19 homers and 52 RBI.

They also have the best road record in baseball and are currently the second best team in the National League.

With pitcher Brett Myers gone, the Phils have been worried about their bullpen, but closer Brad Lidge has stepped it up, saving his past four games.

With his win last night, J.A. Happ is now 4-0, and the Phils are playing better than ever.

If they can continue this, there is no team in the N.L. East that can stop them, unless of course they are playing in Philadelphia. The Phils are 12-14 at home this season and have struggled against the Mets and Braves.

We will see how good the Phillies are this week with a three-game series against the Dodgers in L.A.