NL East (or just Mets)

The Amazin's won their 69th wins today over SDP! With only 49 gms to go & 13.5 gms over 2nd plaec PHI, the Mets are back! Back in a winning fashsion.

Mets have solid piters like Pedro (of course) and Glavine. Trachsel has been Trachsel, the inning eater and providing "okay" performance every 5th day. The big pleasant surprise has been Maine, the once-stud-prospect of BAL. He's got ~10 more starts and if he can win another 5, he should be the #3 started in the post-season over Trachsel. Not a hard-thrower, but just effective enough to get guys out. It's surprising that Mets has been using Heilman for relief. He should have enough stuff to be a decent #4 starter. Let's hope that this former 1st rounder doesn't get burried in the pen. Wagner has been proving that he is worth the $$ and Bradford has been solid. Leftie specialists Feliciano & Oliver have been stellar, considering their #'s. Mets' pitching definately has it going for them.

With El Duque & Julio providing all the experience a ballclub needs, Mets can making it at least to the NL Championship Series.

Just one more thing, WHY did Mets call up Michael Tucker to replace Floyd (placed on DL)??? Don't they have somebody else better? I think the Mets got enough experience just from Julio himself already. How about giving a young IF a shot @ 2B? Or Alfonzo, why did they sign him & not play him in the major league level?
(BTW, Tucker is only hitting .265, .381 OBP, .411 SLG in AAA)


ATL just doesn't have enough pitching (both starters & relief guys) to compete this season. They started winning some games after a terrible start. Hudson has been a different guy ever since he's been a Brave, possibly because he chnaged his pitching philosophy. It's unlikely that he's been serious injured and whatever mystery injury caused his dramatic under-performance. Tim might have just not been challenging hitters enough and throw too many balls out of the strike zone and hitters aren't chasing his sinkers anymore. I hope that Hudson will regain his strong pitching form next season.

Braves have young hitters who need some more time to develop, particularly Thorman, Matt Diaz, and Langerhans. They could be decent hitters and have proven that they got enough pop to play in the MLB. ATL needs to teach these kids "plate discipline"! Francoeur is a very fun to watch, but watching him swinging at every ball, especially the 1st pitch is just not so fun. He's a stud player (outstanding OF with a big hose and get good jumps on balls), but becoming the next Adam Dunn with a ~.250 AVG is not something a young player should be aiming for. Young Jeff should pick up a copy of "The Science of Hitting" and learn to take a walk when balls are obvious balls.

BOTTOM LINE
It's good to see Mets are back in business after so many years being behind the Braves. NYM needs some good management to guide them deep in the post-season. They got enough tools in young players like Wright & Reyes and enough experience in Pedro, Glavine, Beltran to do well. The only question left is can NYM win 100+ gms?!
YES, they got lots of gms left vs. weak NL East teams. 100+ win for the Amazing's in '06!