NL Midseason Report

This is coming a little late but things have been busy....and just in case any of you Yankees fans out there are wondering...the Yanks are still DONE. You guys are banking on getting Shawn Chacon to cement your playoff hopes? C'mon. Anyway the NL East is looking to return to its rightful owners the Braves for the 14th year in a row. Andruw Jones has been tearing up a storm and Chipper Jones fresh off the DL homered in his first game. Also slightly important Tim Hudson and Mike Hampton back in action - Hudon slightly more important/reliable than Hampton. The Braves are headin straight for the division crown once again. The Nationals are starting to slide as everyone predicted. I mean seriously how much longer is Livan Hernandez supposed to throw 130 pitches per game and Esteban Loiaiza... bound to break down in the second half. And Preston Wilson is their big midseason acquisition. He's solid but not someone who can impact a team enough that he'll really make a difference. Sorry Frankie, you're gona be watching the postseason from the District this year instead of Canada. The Marlins - what happened to these guys? They were everyone's lock for the Wild Card preseason and some even midseason. Josh Beckett DL big surprise. A.J. Burnett a .500 pitcher (big surprise - it happens to be a career trend) the biggest prize of the trade deadline so he'll be gone. Dontrelle Willis - smoked in his first start after the break by a Philly team he had owned in his 3 previous starts (3-0 with an ERA under 2.50). Mike Lowell has fallen off the map, Juan Pierre has seen his production decline dramatically at the plate and his defense is nothing to brag about either. The Marlins are headed for right where I said in the beginning of the season...nowhere. Which brings us to the Phillies, the most unpredictable/confusing/maddening team in baseball. 12-1 homestand then lose 7 straight series then take 5 of 7 from the Nationals and Marlins. And another dramatic win tonight at home against the Dodgers compliments of a Ryan Howard walk off home run. So help me god if the Phillies trade this kid - especially if its for Kip Wells as some rumors are suggesting. But Philly management has actually voiced some sense of reason over the last week or two and it appears as though they are actively shopping everyone. Most notably Jim Thome - would love to see him go but lots of luck - Mike Lieberthal - 7.5 mil for a washed up catcher? its about time. And David Bell - I really like Bell and he's a clutch hitter but I wouldn't mind seeing Tomas Perez get the time at 3rd if Bell goes and who knows - maybe Ed Wade can finally make a decent trade or two this year - but don't hold your breath. As far as the playoffs...long shot....I said that the Phils had to win 5 of 7 from the Nats and Marlins to stay alive and they did just that. So their schedule eases a bit with LA and San Diego coming to town then they'll face a good test against sneaky Houston before what should be a beat down of Colorado. The Braves will win the East. But if the stars all fall in place for the Phils they've got a shot - just don't expect them to come through or you'll most likely be dissapointed. Bottom line - This team led by Howard and Utley will contend in the years to come. The Mets will stay at .500 for the duration of the season. They've shown signs here and there but they just can't get over the hump. Pedro may be the biggest story in NYC but there won't be any playoffs for him this year. In the Central the Cardinals are obviously going to run away with the division. But don't sleep on the suddenly hot Cubs or Astros (who annually make a second half surge - the A's of the NL) for the Wild Card. Look at these two pitching staffs if healthy...Cubbies - Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux - Astros - Clemens, Pettite, Oswalt, Backe with Lidge in the bullpen. Can't count either of those teams out. The West is just flat out disgusting. San Diego is going to come away with this one. LA is too beat up. San Fran is too Bondsless and Arizona is without Schilling and Johnson.

East - Braves Central - Cards West - Padres Wild Card - Astros

Braves over Astros Cards over Padres

Braves over Cards