Will the real contenders please stand-up? It was only a matter of time before the Fish from Florida gracefully bowed out of the National League East Division contention. Finally the baseball god's came to their senses and realized you can't win in baseball with the Marlins brutal team ERA and a error filled defense.
To no one's surprise the Phillies and the Mets are neck and neck for the division crown. Last year the Amazin's pulled off an amazing choke job to help the Phillies win the division. As we're now approaching September, it's time for one of these teams to sieze the division. Lets look at who has the edge at the end. For Mets and Phillies fans alike here's a couple of things to hang your hat on.
Why the Phillies will win:
The Phillies have the better bullpen and the better team when you size up the roster from top to bottom. Brad Lidge hasn't blown a save all season, and J.C. Romero is as nasty as it gets for left-handed specialist. J-Roll is starting to hit again, he's the engine that starts the car and if he gets hot he can carry the squad. The one-two punch the Phils in Hamels and Myers envisioned that would have enabled them to run away with this division to begin with, is starting to come together like Voltron. Even with the offense struggling, the team can ride on the back of the Hamels-Myers machine because right now, their as good as it gets. This along with the 3-headed monster Utley, Howard and Rollins hitting and there would be nothing the Mets could do but accept the silver medal.
Why the Phillies will lose:
The Phillies have had their chance numerous time to open up a big lead in this division when the Mets we're embarassing themselves for much of the season early on, but they didn't. The offense is still in a slump since all-star game. It is just assumed that the Phillies offense billed to be possibly the best NL offense coming into this season will come out of this inconsistent funk they have been in. Well everyone has been saying this since the all-star break and still this team is scuffling along on offense. Ryan Howard strikes out too much, and is batting in the .220's, and doesn't seem like he'll catch fire this year. Although Utley has good numbers, but if you've studied his game you'd know that something is quite not right with him at the plate. I think he's hurt but just not saying. It'll be impossible for J-Roll to repeat the Septemeber he had last year, that being said someone else needs to step up. That person needs to identify himself because they are running out of time.
Why the Mets will win:
The Mets got Manager Willie Randolph fired, was an sorry excuse for a baseball team early in the season. They hit rock bottom early on and now have exercised the demons of being bad in New York and everything that comes along with that. They are now a team playing with confidence, which is everything. Johan Santana is dominating and they now come to the old ball park and expect to win and it shows at the plate in their best players. In the first half of the season Carlos Delgado was a defeated man at the plate, in the batters box just waiving at pitches, too late on fastballs and way out in front on off speed pitches. Look at Delgado today and he has swagger back and has carried his team to the current 2 game lead they have on the Phillies. He's channeling his inner Wilt Chamberlain, hittin' everything in sight and putting up numbers. They are playing more cohesive ball than any team in the NL not named the Cubs and have handled the Phillies so far this year. Accused of not having any heart the past few years, they actually seem like the grittier team.
Why the Mets will lose:
The Bullpen is a pitching wasteland. Again, the bullpen just stinks. This can not be overstated enough. If you watch the Mets play you'll soon understand why Closers are paid big bucks. The back end of the bullpen has had problems closing out games all season, even with loud mouth Billy Wagner closing. It's hard to envision a team winning the division with this Pen' when the team they have to beat out has to best bullpen in the National League. Pedro Martinez is now a nibbler and is not the compliment to Johan that the Mets need to dominate. John Maine is still hurt. Will he be effective when and if he comes back? Aaron Heilman is still being given the ball in keys spots late in the game?! Nuff said'
Survey says:
I have to give the edge to the Phillies. They just have the better team, both teams will probably tell you they underachieved this year. When I look at the Phillies top 3 guys in their rotation with killer Cole "Hollywood" Hamels, Brett Myers and the underrated addition of Joe Blanton along with the bullpen, I have a hard time seeing this team losing this division. The offense doesn't have to live up to it's billing, it just has to play decent and that should be enough for the Phils to successfully defend thier division crown.
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