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The Phillies have played fewer games than the Braves this more and won more (55-33 for the Phils and 53-36 for the Braves). They are scoring more runs per game (4.16 to 4.02) and allowing fewer (3.27 to 3.30). So what could be the problem?

Maybe nothing. But there’s this — here are the standings in the NL East since the end of April:

The Phils ended April at 18-8 while the Braves were 13-15. Atlanta has been 3 1/2 games better since. Since April they have outscored the Phils, plating about 4.07 runs per game while the Phils scored about 3.97. The Phillies have still been better at preventing runs, allowing around 3.23 runs per game while the Braves have allowed about 3.33 runs per game. While Atlanta has won 3 1/2 more games than the Phils, the Phils run differential has actually been a tiny bit better since the end of April. The Phillies are at +.742 per game while Atlanta is at +.738.

Finally, I don’t think there are a lot of people who think the Mets are going to win the NL East this season, but it’s worth nothing they’re seven games over .500 in this time period and have scored way more runs than either the Phils or Braves. So let’s hope they don’t get any pitching.

Lidge had his second straight good outing in relief at Single-A Lakewood last night. He’s now allowed two hits and struck out two in two scoreless innings.

Victorino was voted into the All-Star game, but may not play.

The Phils are going to the post-season and will have home field advantage throughout. Beyond that, we know that the Reds have won their division and are in while the Braves, Giants and Padres battle for the two remaining NL spots. As of this morning the Giants lead the Padres by two games in the West and the Braves are a game and a half ahead of San Diego for the Wild Card.

So who should we be rooting for to come out on top?

Here’s how many runs per game the five teams have scored this season compared to the average for the league (not including last night):

So, for example, the Reds have scored 4.90 runs per game this season. The average for NL teams is 4.36 runs per game. 4.90 over 4.36 is 1.124, which also means that the Reds have scored about 112.4% of the runs per game that the average NL team has scored this season.

Of the five teams, the Reds, Phils and Braves have all been better than average at scoring runs. The Giants and Padres have been worse than the average NL teams at scoring runs.

The average NL team has allowed 4.38 runs per game. Here’s how the numbers at preventing runs compare for the five teams (again, does not include last night):

The chart is turned upside down for these numbers. The Padres have been the best of the five teams at preventing runs for the season, allowing about 82.9% of the runs per game that the average team in the NL has allowed.

If you combine the rates at which they have scored and prevented runs compared to the rest of the league, here’s how the results look:

Two big things I think you can take from that. The first is how slim the margin is between the Braves and the Phils at the top of the list. The second is that the Padres are just a lot worse than the other four teams on the list. One of the teams you should be rooting for to get into the playoffs is the Padres.

Who’s the other, though? From the numbers above it sure looks like we should all be Giants fans. But surely the injury-ravaged Braves aren’t the same team now that they’ve lost Chipper and Medlen and Prado, right?

Here’s what the five teams have done in September:

A couple of things you should take from that. The first is that the Phillies are playing very well, especially offensively. The Reds may have been better than the Phils at scoring runs overall for the season, but since the start of September the Phillies have scored almost a run per game more than Cincinnati has scored.

The other thing that you don’t want to miss is that the Giants are doing an amazing job at preventing runs. They’ve allowed 48 runs in their past 24 games and the Rockies beat them 10-9 on Saturday. So in the other 23 games they have allowed 38 runs, or 1.65 runs per game.

Here’s how the teams stack up if you compare the number of runs each team has scored and allowed this month to the other teams in the group (not the whole league) and then combine the numbers:

The Giants pitching has been more dominant than the Phillies hitting, so San Francisco comes out on top on that list. I think there are two important things to come to terms with about the way the Giants have been pitching of late. The first is that if San Francisco allows 1.85 runs per game the rest of the way they’re going to win the World Series. There won’t be much for anyone else to do but watch. The second, though, is that that isn’t going to happen. In August, for example, the Giants allowed about 4.93 runs per game.

It does leave us with the question of who we’d like to see joining the Phils, Reds and Padres in the playoffs. If the Braves were at full strength I think it’s pretty much a no-brainer that you would prefer them to be watching the post-season. The Braves aren’t at full strength, though, and they haven’t been for a long time. The combination of the injuries to Atlanta and the remarkable job San Francisco has done preventing runs of late makes it very close.

On the plus side, it doesn’t matter a whole lot who you’re hoping for — the playoff teams from the NL look likely to be the Phils, Reds, Braves and Giants.

The Nats beat the Phils 2-1 last night. Oswalt pitched well, allowing an unearned run over five innings. Nyjer Morgan walked in the bottom of the first, stole second, took third with the help of a Rollins error and scored on an Adam Dunn ground out to put Washington up 1-0. Ibanez tied the game at 1-1 with a homer off of Jason Marquis in the fourth. Dunn hit a long walkoff home run off of Contreras with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth.

Rollins returned to the starting lineup and went 1-for-3 with a solid single out of the leadoff spot. He also made a throwing error in the first. Bastardo and Baez both pitched a scoreless inning in relief, with Bastardo striking out all three men he faced in the bottom of the eighth in a tie game.

If the Phils spent the first day of the Winter Meetings dealing for a corner outfielder, a third baseman and a couple of pitchers they’re apparently keeping it on the down-low. Fingers crossed.

This article suggests that the Dodgers are more interested in trying sign Andruw Jones to a shorter contract than giving a longer deal to Rowand. Opinions apparently vary about the chances of Rowand returning to the Phils. I think he is going to the White Sox, but I would say the chances of him coming back to the Phils are low but not zero. You have to believe that they would increase at least a little if the Phils don’t add another corner outfielder or acquire help at third.

This article suggests that the Phils have clear interest in Kris Benson and some interest in Bartolo Colon and Jason Jennings and not as much in Carlos Silva or Kyle Lohse. Gillick also sounds like he’s feeling a little less than warm and fuzzy about Randy Wolf, calling Wolf’s signing with the Padres a blessing in disguise.

While we’re on the subject, Scott Rolen’s secondary average last year was .232. I would guess the Phillies are about as likely to bring him back as they are Steve Jeltz.

And speaking of the man, if we could get Jeltz to weigh in it sounds like we could call it just about unanimous that the Phillies aren’t interested in Melvin Mora.

This article talks about what the Braves might be trying to do at the Winter Meetings. The Braves, I fear, are looking likely to continue their upswing.

The Nationals traded for Elijah Dukes. It’s gonna be quite a clubhouse.

This article says that the White Sox are still interested in Rowand and may be looking to trade Joe Crede.

Lefty Brian Anderson is attempting a comeback after missing the last two seasons. The Rockies may be interested. Anderson had elbow surgery in 2005 and 2006. In 2004 with the Royals he gave up 33 home runs in 166 innings while throwing to 5.64 ERA, so he’s not really screaming ideally suited to finish out his days at Citizens Bank Park.