ESPN Buster Olney Blog

The NL East is playing out like a really nasty game of dodgeball, and if you're keeping score at home, you could probably count the bodies left standing on one hand.

You know the New York Mets have lost their best home run hitter, their All-Star shortstop, two-fifths of their rotation and their second most important off-season acquisition in J.J. Putz … and at the end of play Tuesday night, the Mets were still just 2½ games out of first place.

The Florida Marlins saw their most consistent starting pitcher from last year sent to the minors, and their starting center fielder batted .202 before being demoted. They've had to make do at third base with a youngster who had always played in the middle infield. Dan Uggla, one of their few returning veteran stars, is batting .217, and shortstop Hanley Ramirez has a nagging groin injury. Today, these Marlins, with the lowest payroll in the majors, are three games out of first place.

The Philadelphia Phillies might have lost No. 2 starter Brett Myers for the rest of the season, No. 3 starter Jamie Moyer has a 5.97 ERA, and No. 5 starter Chan Ho Park lost his job. Closer Brad Lidge was much less than perfect before landing on the disabled list, shortstop Jimmy Rollins has battled a slump most of the year, and now Raul Ibanez is hurt.

And the Phillies lead the NL East.

So in other words, this battered and tattered division -- major league baseball's Black and Blue Division of 2009 -- is a very long way from being decided.

A few hours before Tommy Hanson pitched out of trouble over and over again and the Braves shut out the Yankees, Atlanta GM Frank Wren spoke with optimism, and who could blame him? The Braves have been one of baseball's worst offensive teams; their outfield production was easily the worst in the majors, prompting Wren to trade for Nate McLouth. And those Braves are four games out of first place.

"I think none of us foresaw what the [Phillies and Mets] would have," Wren said. "We're sitting where we thought we would be. … I actually feel like over the last week, we've started to make some strides. The last five days, we've swung the bat as well as well as we have all year."

Casey Kotchman has been swinging better of late, Wren says, but hasn't had a lot to show for it yet. Garret Anderson ripped a two-run double Tuesday night, and is hitting .435 over the past week. McLouth has helped the Atlanta offense, creating more opportunities for Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and others. If the Braves can muster any offensive consistency, they'll be dangerous because of their rotation and bullpen depth.

Wren is open to adding a hitter "who is available and who fits what we need," but like a lot of other GMs, he reports that there are few players on the market right now. And in the end, Wren's hands could be tied because of expense. "There's very little financial flexibility [among other teams], and for us, as well," Wren said. (Yet another reason why the trade market will probably be a dud: It's unclear whether even the Dodgers can take on money, as Bill Shaikin writes.)

Soon enough, the Mets will get back Jose Reyes, John Maine and Carlos Beltran, and it's possible they will get help from Carlos Delgado and Oliver Perez. And the Mets, one of the few teams willing to take on money in trades, are looking for a hitter. The Phillies are looking for a starting pitcher, but without success so far. The Marlins have historically made runs in the second half of the season, as their young players improve.

Jeff Schultz wonders if better days are ahead for the Braves. These days, the Mets must hit and run and pray, writes John Harper.

The Bullpen Management Index

To read the rest of Buster's blog, you must be an ESPN Insider.