Are the Mets Done?

Maine is hurt. Perez just had a bad outing. Billy Wagner's has a sore arm.

Fernando Tatis, Damion Easley, Nick Evans, Marlin Anderson and Endy Chavez can't continue to drive the engine and play the roles they've been playing rather well.

So says a good friend who's a Met fan, and who is doubtful that the Mets can win the NL East.

That's funny, because as a Phillies' fan I doubt that the Phillies have enough starting pitching to win the division, and I also wonder whether their bullpen, which has pitched so well this year, will continue to do so. It does look like the team has begun to hit again, and the team is showing the spark that was lost for most of the early part of the summer.

Needless to say, the Mets will be in it until the end, because no team in the NL East is good enough to run away with the division. The Mets aren't as bad as my friend broods, and the Phillies have plenty of holes on their roster. And let's not forget the Marlins, who have shown pluck and will be in the race until the end, too. I still say that it will take 86-88 wins only to win the division.

If that.