Aug. 27 -- MEET THE METS

After yesterday's victory over the Padres, several players told me it was overstating matters to say this week's series against the Mets is a make-or-break proposition for the Phillies.

Math was never my best subject in school, but you don't need an advanced degree to suggest the NL East race may already be broken.

If the Phillies split the four-game series, they'll be 69-64. The Mets will be 75-58. That means, if the Mets went 15-14 to close the season, the Phillies would have to go 21-8 just to tie them. That won't happen. Even if the Phillies take three out of four and the Mets went 15-14 the rest of the way, the Phils would have to go 19-10 to catch them. Still a tall order, and there are no guarantees the Mets will play only .500 ball in September.

So, regardless of what happens this week, it may be time to start thinking wild card.

That said, this remains a big series, especially for the Phillies. Before I came to work at The News Journal, I covered the Mets' double-A team in Binghamton, N.Y. I know several of their players, including David Wright and Jose Reyes (above), and I know those guys would like nothing more than to come here and bury the Phillies this week.

Anyone care to predict how the Phils will fare?

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Before we completely turn the page on yesterday's game, here's another Ginger Wall photo gallery.

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Jamie can't possibly be the only person with thoughts on Kyle Kendrick's first 14 starts vs. the first 14 starts of several other notable pitchers. Check the post below for the stats. They're rather interesting.