Phillies and Dodgers: Class of National League

It’s time for a little National League theater.

Carlos Beltran of the New York Mets: "The reality of this is, coming here to Pittsburgh and getting swept, me, I feel embarrassed… It just can't happen… I know they're a big-league ballclub, but we're better than them."

Beltran was referring to the Mets losing three-straight games to the Pittsburgh Pirates to start the month of June.

Adam LaRoche of the Pirates: "You know, if we're as bad as he says we are and we swept them, then what's that make them?"

The barbs didn’t stop there, LaRoche, whose biting retort was quite astute, said Beltran “had zero class.”

A week after being swept by the pesky Pirates, in a display of karmic retribution straight out of a Broadway play, Mets second basemen Luis Castillo dropped an easy fly ball in the bottom of the ninth inning that allowed two Yankees to score. The Mets lost a heartbreaker of a game on a walk off error. In the theater business that kind of ending is called a deus ex machina. This season, Mets fan call it "what else is new?"

While there are elements of Greek tragedy in the aforementioned tale, the drama isn’t necessarily manufactured. As the month of June wanes, it’s starting to become clear just who are the contenders and the pretenders in the National League.

Beltran’s frustrations, unjustly aimed at the Pirates, are warranted. The Mets loaf. Their frequent lack concentration and discipline has cost them several wins this season.

While the Mets are only four games back of the defending champs, the Philadelphia Phillies, it feels like eight. In the National League, the Phillies are second to the last in team ERA and they've allowed the fifth most runs. The Mets have a much better team ERA and a better team batting average than the Phillies, but they haven’t been able to put together a run.

Ultimately, the Phillies are leading the NL East because of their guts and determination. The Mets are trailing because they lack mental toughness.

Philadelphia's lead maybe small, but you have more confidence in the San Francisco Giants overtaking the Los Angeles Dodgers than you do in the Mets capturing the NL East crown. And the Giants aren’t going to overtake the Dodgers in NL West this year.

Even without Manny Ramirez, who won’t be back from suspension until July 3rd, the Dodgers have been flat out killing the ball and at the same time they're leading the entire Majors in ERA. This is a complete team.

The Giants are a robust seven games behind the Dodgers and they too have a great pitching staff—they’re second in the Majors in ERA.

If they Giants could score a few more runs, either some guys get hot or they make a move at the trade deadline for a big bat, they could win the wild card. Right now, you must have more confidence in the Giants making the postseason then you do in the flaky Mets.

As for the Pirates, Beltran’s lament was a little harsh. The Pirates certainly aren’t the worst team in the National League. While the Bucs have a very good defensive team, they aren't dynamic at the plate or on the mound. The Pirates will be fortunate to finish the season at .500.

Certainly the Pirates, just a hand full of games out of first, are still within striking distance of the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers. However, the Mets and the Giants have to chase only one team, the Pirates must leap over the Chicago Cubs, the Cincinnati Reds, the St. Louis Cardinals and the Brewers. The Pirates are just not that good to battle day-in and day-out all those teams.

The war of words between Beltran and LaRoche makes for great drama and provides salacious material for sports columnists. It also shows, like Yogi Berra once said, “it’s getting late early.” The season is nearing the midway point and teams are starting to realize just who they really are. For teams like the Mets that’s difficult news to process.