Don't look now, but after all but two NL East games to be played on Sunday (Mets vs. Giants in a double-header), there is a new pecking order in the division. Entering the day, the standings were as follows:
Atlanta 30-25
Washington 30-26
Florida 28-25
New York 29-26
Philadelphia 29-27
And now, with just the doubleheader in New York remaining:
Washington 31-26
Atlanta 30-26
Philadelphia 30-27
New York 29-26
Florida 28-27
As long as the Mets come away with at least a split in today's double-header, things should get even tighter.
If you had told any Phillies fan two weeks ago that the standings would look like this, he/she would have gone down on bended-knee and praised his/her Maker. The team has been on a real hot streak as of late. As David Pinto points out, every regular batter is getting on base at an amazing clip, .371 being the worst least really good rate (David Bell). And while the batting has been hot, the pitching has done all it has needed to do: hold its own.
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Update: It appears as if the Mets and Giants are going to split the double-header, and so Monday will find a very very very very tight NL East:
Washington 31-26
Atlanta 30-26
Philadelphia 30-27
New York 30-27
Florida 28-27
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Check back on Monday morning for a Balls, Sticks, & Stuff interview with Oakland A's pitching prospect Dan Meyer.
