Does anyone want to win the NL East?!

The NL East is arguably the 2nd best division in MLB (behind the AL East of course). With the Phillies faltering of late, it has opened the door for the Braves to take a 1.5 game lead on June 2nd. Let's be honest, this means nothing. It's not September or October yet. Here's a Scouting Report for the NL East of what to expect for the months ahead:

Atlanta Braves
The Braves are possibly the hottest team in baseball. They had a great May and have brought that momentum into June, winning the first 2 games vs. the Phillies. The Braves will probably look to add a quality bat before the trade deadline. It's not a question of if, but when will their hot streak end. The key for them will be to stabalize after their streak is over.

Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies can't hit lately. Maybe it's J-Roll missing. Maybe it's just bad timing that all of their big bats are slumping at the same time. Who knows? Outside of Doc Halladay's perfect game, they have been awful for a week and a half. Look for the Phillies to come out of thier funk and start racking up wins soon. If not, they may look to not only add depth to their rotation, but also to their lineup (especially if Rollins is out for any extended period of time)

Florida Marlins
Can you name one of the 2 teams in the NL East with a winning record against the rest of the division? One of them is the Marlins. This pesky team is 13-9 vs. the rest of the NL East. I don't expect them to stay close to the top of the standings for long. But the longer they stay, the more dangerous this young group is. Especially if they can add a big bat.

Washington Nationals
The Nationals are the other team with a winning record vs. the rest of the division, going 12-11. The Nats are a group that is playing beyond expectations and gaining confidence. With their rookie phenom, Stephen Strasburg set to join the rotation, they could be in the wild card hunt for a while. Today a report surfaced that Roy Oswalt might wave his no trade to play for the Nats. That could be the type of deal that makes the once unthinkable possible. The Nats in the playoffs?!!

New York Mets
The Mets are the definition of a .500 team. Look up .500 team in the dictionary and you will see a picture of Jerry Manuel's mug, smiling away. They win at home (19-9), but they can't win on the road (8-17). They win 5 of 6, then lose 5 of 7. It's a rollercoaster ride that all Mets fans know is coming. But we keep watching, and keep cheering. Help is apparently on the way, however. Carlos Beltran is running at 80% and could be back with the team by the end of June. He will add depth to the lineup and allow for Pagan and Fancoeur to platoon a bit in RF. If the Mets get a health Beltran AND make a deal for a solid #3 starter, they will be in the wildcard hunt and play meaningful games in September.