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Who will make the playoffs?" is a blog worked on by FanNation users dudeman, dyhard and Super Squirrel. It's a 6 part blog covering each and every team. Here you'll find who has the best chance to make the playoffs among the teams in the NL East.

AL East

AL Central

AL West

NOW - NL East

Sunday - NL Central

Monday - NL West

 Washington Nationals

Dude's Take:  Not yet, young 'uns. Not yet. Your potential will take you far, just not right now. Oh, yeah, GET SOME PITCHING!

Percentage chance: 0%

Dyhard's Take: They are down a lot of games in their division, a lot more in the Wild Card, and they aren't overcoming 19+ games to win anything. No shot at the playoffs.

Percentage: 0%

SS's Take: They are 19 games back in the AL East, even farther out of the Wild Card in the NL, and are basically Lannan, Guzman, and Redding this year anyway...

Percentage: 0.02%

New York Mets

Dude's Take: Sorry if this is going to be longer than your liking...The key to the Mets is the bullpen and if they'll get timely hitting. The Mets can have great nights offensive and pitching wise, but it's rare when that falls on the same night. Johan should be a candidate for Cy Young. The bullpen has blown six of his leads, and he should have atleast 14 wins right now. He has a 2.85 ERA and 135 Ks. The bullpen is what blew it for the Mets last year, and it could make or break them this year. Aaron Heilman and Duaner Sanchez have really been struggling as of late (although Heilman just got a 2 inning save). Scott Schowenweiss has been a pleasant surprise for them all season, but recently he's sucked. Joe Smith is good, but extremely inconsistent. I have confidence in Pedro Feliciano, but he's let me down big time recently. Eddie Kunz looks to be great in the future, but can't be relied on now, so he shouldn't be used in a division race. Carlos Muniz....well I don't think he's very good. They need Wagner back desperately. Although Billy has 7 blown saves, the bullpen is more confident with him closing out the 9th, and frankly, so are all the Mets fans. Offensively, David Wright has been awesome this year, jose Reyes quietly having a great season, and Delgado is hitting homers left and right. Carlos Beltran is having a good year, not amazing, but good. His power numbers are WAY down this season, and so is his average. Besides Johan, Oliver Perez is a great big game pitcher, although he needs to learn to be able to shutout bad teams. John Maine is injured right now, and this is huge for the Mets, they really need him back. Pedro is looking alright, better than I thought. Mike Pelfrey has been awesome for the Mets, after a horrendous start. I personally would bring up Jon Niese to replace Maine, but Mets management and coaching has decided against that. I think the next best thing is Nelson Figueroa. The Mets offense is one of the better offenses, and their pitching is inconsistent, but when it's on top of it's game, it's lights out for opponents. They WILL have a good chance at making the playoffs, and that is NOT the homer in me speaking (I hope lol).

Percentage chance: 72%

Dyhard's Take: There is one big part to their team that is really going to be a BIG problem as the season goes on. That is the bullpen. They have cost the starting pitchers wins and they have also gave up runs that shouldn't have been given up. Look at their last game against the Padres? Johan Santana came out of the game in the 8th with the Mets winning 3-1. The relief pitcher came in and gave up a run. 3-2. In the ninth, their was a home run given up. 3-3. David Wright then hit a two run home run for the win. The thing that is going to hurt them is the pitching. The thing that is a positive for them, is the hitting. It is going to be tough for them to win the division.

Percentage:65%

SS's Take: If it was the firing of Willie Randolph that got the Mets back into contention, then it was a good move by the front office...but if it's the second half magic by Johan Santana, then...it's TWO good moves by the front office. The hitting is back in New York, with Reyes getting his average back above .300. He's scoring the runs while Wright and Delgado are driving them in. The starting pitching is good, with four of the five starters with ERAs under 4.50, but they have issues in the bullpen. Billy Wagner is hurt, so they've been forced to use Aaron Heilman in key spots, a story that won't end well. When Wagner comes back, the Mets are going to be a formidable foe in the NL East

Percentage: 40%

Atlanta Braves

Dude's Take: The Braves are a team with playoff talent, but they have been hit with injuries to John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, and that has really hurt them. Jair Jurrjens has been a nice surprise for them this season, and Brian McCann is slowly becoming an elite hitting catcher. I like what they have with McCann and Chip, but the rest of their offense is pretty mediocre, and I'm surprised that Yunel Escobar has struggled as much as he has. His average, SLG%, OPS and OBP are all down, and in 6 more games this season than last, he has 7 less 2Bs. He has great potential, but I think he hit a huge snag in his development this season. I think with the talent of the teams ahead of them, and the loss of Mark Texiera (although Casey Kotchman is good) will be big.

Percentage chance: 20%

Dyhard's Take: The Braves have a shot. They have a good offense, but Jeff Francoeur hasn't been doing well. He needs to hit better for the Braves to really have a shot. Mike Hampton is their second starter, and does anyone know if he can stay healthy? No. He has spent most of his contract on the DL and if you have that player as your second starter, you are in trouble. John Smotlz and Tom Glavine on the DL isn't going to help either. They need to BOTH come off the DL and be effective for the Braves to have a shot. Francoeur also needs to start hitting better for the Braves.

Percentage:25%

SS's take: The Braves are so interesting....they've got a very good offensive lineup, especially if Jeff Francoeur can turn it on, they don't give up runs, but when Mike Hampton is their second starter, you've got issues. If the Braves get Smoltz and Glavine off the DL sometime this century, they are going to have a shot at the WIld Card and/or the division title, especially with a lineup that would feature Brian McCann, Chipper, and Francoeur...the problem is that they can only do that if they get both Glavine and Smoltz back to compliment Jurrjens...

Percentage: 30%

Philadelphia Phillies

Dude's Take: The Phillies are probably the most interesting team in this division. Their offense is outstanding with Ryan howard, Chase Utley, pat Burrell, Jimmy Rollins, etc. but there pitching staff has not been great, and they are kicking themselves in the butt for letting go of Kyle Lohse. As a Mets fan, I resent the Phillies, but you can't leave them out of the equation in the NL East. They are a pesky bunch, and have definitely been a great team this season. If their starting pitching holds up (which I actually think it will), they should win this division or the wild card. I hate doing this, but I'm giving the edge to the Phillies in the NL East (shoot me now).

Percentage chance: 80%

Dyhard's Take: The Phillies don't really have any problems. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, they're all doing well this year. The Phillies have been doing well pitching wise too. In everything ESPN lists for the categories on the Phillies homepage, the Phillies are in the top 10 in EVERY category which is a good thing. They are a good team and Jamie Moyer and Cole Hamels have been doing well this year. Philly is a game and a half against the Marlins and 2 games ahead of the Mets. Look for the Phillies to win the division.

Percentage: 85%

SS's Take: They've turned around their hitting, they've turned in some solid pitching performances from Cole Hamels and Joe Blanton, and even though their lead in the division is only 1.5 games, they've got the second best road record in baseball, something that will get them closer to the playoffs, barring injury...

Percentage: 75%

Florida Marlins

Dude's Take: The Marlins have managed to stick around in the NL East, and definitely should not be counted out. In all the hype of the Phillies and Mets, people tend to forget the young Marlins who have definitely made a name for themselves this season. Their young pitchers continue to thrive, Dan Uggla has really come into his own and Hanley Ramirez has proved he is one of the elite players in the MLB. Freddi Gonzalez has done a great job with this ballclub, and they still have a shot at the division and the Wildcard. But, I don't think there is enough veteran experience in the Marlins clubhouse to lead them to a playoff berth.

Percentage chance: 67%

Dyhard's Take: Dan Uggla and Hanley Ramirez have been leading this team. Ricky Nolasco and Scott Olsen has been pitching well for the Marlins. The problem with the Marlins is that they have allowed 565 runs this year while only scoring 546 runs this year. That is going to hurt the Marlins. The Marlins team ERA is 4.48. That is going to effect them. They have a team BA of .253 while a team BAA of .258. They need to get on base more, and they need to be getting more hits, and scoring more runs to be able to win the division, and/or the Wild Card.

percentage:65%

SS's Take: They can hit. We know that. Uggla, Ramirez, Cantu, etc. They've got the young hitters rolling. The rotation is good, anchored by Nolasco and Olsen, with Sanchez and Volstad pitching well also, and the bullpen is serviceable. The Marlins have put themselves in a great position to catch a Brewers team that has historically faced a downturn this time of year, if not the Phillies as well...

Percentage: 75%

 

August 9, 2008  01:44 PM ET

Man...that dyhard guy does REALLY well with this stuff!

August 9, 2008  01:48 PM ET

Naah, Dude is better.

BTW, change it to NL East in the opening paragraph:

"Here you'll find who has the best chance to make the playoffs among the teams in the AL Central."

August 9, 2008  01:49 PM ET

^^^
You are each better than the other guy.

August 9, 2008  02:15 PM ET

Actually lately in the past weeks its been the offense that has been HURTING this team.... lost to marlins thursday 3-0... lost to pitt yesterday 2-0 in 12 innings...the pitchings been good

August 9, 2008  02:22 PM ET

X Naah, Dude is better.

BTW, change it to NL East in the opening paragraph:

"Here you'll find who has the best chance to make the playoffs among the teams in the AL Central."
dudeman. | 08/09/08, 01:48 PM

Thanks for catching that.

August 9, 2008  02:31 PM ET

who's SS

August 9, 2008  02:35 PM ET

I don't think the braves will make it. sadly.

August 9, 2008  03:18 PM ET

YN - SS is Super Squirrel

August 9, 2008  03:55 PM ET

If Philly can escape the injury bug..., they'll take the East. I don't really see Florida winning it but hey, they've done it before! And the Mets..., no way they take the division..., another classic choke job by the Mets this year.

August 9, 2008  04:18 PM ET

^^^
You are each better than the other guy.

YODA | 08/09/08, 01:49 PM

Thanks for the compliment...

August 9, 2008  06:03 PM ET

^^^
You are each better than the other guy.

YODA | 08/09/08, 01:49 PM

Thank you

 
August 10, 2008  01:08 PM ET

i like dyhard's take on the phillies. a lot.

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