How is Your Team Doing After the Trade Deadline and Are They in or Out of the Playoffs?

So is your team still in it or should you start looking toward the off-season as the playoffs grow nearer? Did your team rise or fall at the trade deadline as we look at the NL East race?

NL East:

1. New York Mets: Games Back: 0

The Mets just don't seem to have it this year. Their team should be the best in the NL East but, they aren't playing like it. The only reason they are still ahead is that there team was more stacked than the Phillies and the Braves before the trade deadline. The good news is they have the second lowest ERA in the National League with a 3.49 Earned Run Average. Their offense has been only average in the NL. Their rotation has held up better than what could have been predicted. John Maine has had a fantastic year with a 12-6 record and a 3.27 ERA. Orlando Hernandez and Tom Glavine have been able to stay healthy and pitch well. The number 4 and 5 pitchers are Oliver Perez and Jorge Sosa who have combined for a solid record of 17-14. The offense has struggled since everyone seems to be having a down year for the Mets especially Carlos Delgado. Shawn Green has been awful with 43 runs and 39 RBI in 92 games. They need to get Pedro Martinez back. Carlos Beltran has come back to centerfield and Lastings Milledge needs to replace Shawn Green. If all this can happen this team will be able to hold off the Phillies and Braves as long as neither team gets really hot. It could come down right to the last game but I think at this point the Mets look like they will hold on.

2. Philadelphia Phillies: Games Back: 3

I was sure the Phillies were done when Chase Utley got hurt. But, they hung tough and Ryan Howard has hit .309 since the All-Star game. He has stepped up to fill in for Utley's bat. Now they have even acquired Tadahito Iguchi to fill the hole in second base and I think he will do a great job. Plus, the offense hasn't been the problem with the most runs produced in the National League. Cole Hamels has ace numbers with a 12-5 record and a 3.57 ERA. The rest of the current rotation has total combined record of 31-29. But, they are trying to improve the rotation with Kyle Lohse and prospect Kyle Kendrick. The bullpen has made some upgrades as well with bringing Brett Myers into the bullpen and getting Tom Gordon into the setup position. They also have brought in J.C. Romero with a 2.27 ERA and Jose Mesa has had a 2.63 ERA since he came to Philadelphia halfway through the year. They will soon have Shane Victorino back and Chase Utley will be back in September to lead a charge. This team is still in the race. If they can stay within four games of the leader when Utley comes back, they might be able to get a charge going and get into the playoffs.

3. Atlanta Braves: Games Back: 3.5

The Braves really look like they could make the playoff push and pass the Mets with their moves at the trade deadline. Atlanta brought in Mark Texeira to an offense that already had the third highest runs scored in the NL, already. With the addition of Texeira the Braves should have the best offense in the NL until Chase Utley returns to the Phillies. The addition of Octavio Dotel should strengthen the bullpen who had been struggling a bit. The front two in the Braves rotation are the best in the NL East with a combined record of 23-11. From then on it is a bit shakier in the rotation. The Braves certainly can make the run to catch the Mets, but they need Shawn Green to keep playing and Pedro and Carlos Beltran to stay injured a little longer than planned. Finally, it will be interesting to see how fast this team can mesh and so far so good the Braves have a 7-3 record in the last 10 games.

4. Florida Marlins: Games Back: 10.5

This team is out of the race and will probably be more than 15 games out of the lead by the end of this season. Hanley Ramirez has had another career year at shortstop and has taken another step towards being the best shortstop in the National League. He will combine with Miguel Cabrera for a left side of the infield that can compete with David Wright and Jose Reyes. Unfortunately, Dontrelle Willis has lost most of his trade value with an awful season and he is even getting booed in Florida. No one has been good in the rotation and that is a bad sign for next year. The team is done for this year and probably done for next year as they don't have any pitching hopes for next year and the Marlins offense isn't great after Cabrera and Ramirez.

5. Washington Nationals: Games Back: 11.5

The Nationals are done for, but at least they have a nice story in Dmitri Young with his all-star appearance. Well, that's about all the good I can say. Oh, wait they also still have Ryan Zimmerman and Chad Cordero who, maybe, they can slowly build around.Their bullpen has been solid with Jon Rauch, Cordero, Chris Schroder and Saul Rivera. My prediction for the Nationals is that they will suffer this year and be in the cellar at the end of the season and next year will be no better. If they don't get some new pieces.