Clearing up the NL East; Buh-Bye Tex, Hello NY, and the Fish Refuse to Die

The first half of the 2008 MLB season left us breathless. We saw a team, whose name has been synonymous with failure for so long, overcome both the Red Sox Nation and Yankee Country. We saw a man overcome his personal demons and addictions and begin to fulfill the expectations that were put on him when he was selected first overall in 1999. We saw teams spend big bucks and receive little results (Yankees, Tigers) while small markets teams reaped rewards without paying a pretty penny (Rays, Marlins).   After a splendid first half, what will the second half of the season hold as we make our way towards October? Playoff Picture. The phrase will be uttered thousands of times in the coming months, so much that you will want to mute Tim Kurkjian and the rest of the Baseball Tonight Crew just so you don't have to hear it. The overuse of the phrase will be deserved though, as it is shaping up to one of the more thrilling playoff races in recent memory, with no division except the AL West ... (link)