When the 2006 season began, everyone knew that the New York Mets had an improved team, and that they would compete for the NL East pennant. What no one was expecting, however, was the way in which they would dominate the division.

On the backs of young superstars such as David Wright, Jose Reyes and Carlos Beltran, and proven veterans such as Carlos Delgado, Tom Glavine and Pedro Martinez, the Mets have surged into first, and they are not looking back.

General Manager Omar Minaya seems to have figured it out, and the Mets are coming together. Minaya hired Willie Randolph, a long time New York Yankees assistant coach, to take over the helm, and added another minority head coach to the league.

The team is comprised of players with ethnicities from all over the world, including Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Cuba. The formula seems to be working, and the Mets are now in the driver's seat of the NL East.

Coming into July, the Mets have an 11-1/2 game lead on the next closest team, the Philadelphia Phillies, and have the second best record in all of baseball at 47-29. Surprisingly enough, the Atlanta Braves winners of an unprecedented 14-straight division titles, are tied for last place in the division at (33-45) with the Washington Nationals, and 15 games out of first place.

The Atlanta Braves have found there way into a dark cave in which they have not entered for many, many years. They have almost seemed to roll over and die in the last few weeks. It is getting so bad that 18 year veteran, and 1996 Cy Young Award winner, John Smoltz is now saying that he will allow a trade if it will help this team get back on track.

The Braves have found themselves in very unfamiliar territory. This is the farthest back they have been in the division in over 10 years at the All-Star break. They still have some superstar players, but many are aging, and the pitching staff has been dismal, especially the bullpen.

One surprising team that no one expected to be where they are today is the Florida Marlins. The Marlins (34-40) are tied for second in the division, and since June 1 are 17-6. They are also doing all this in the face of all the pre-season critics.

They have a $15 million dollar payroll, one of the lowest in all of baseball this season. They have a first time manager in Joe Girardi, who before joining the Marlins, had minimal coaching experience, and no head coaching experience.

The pitching staff is young, and the rest of the team is even younger. This team was supposed to be at the bottom, and even though they are nowhere near the Mets, they are making waves and showing the critics that young inexperienced talent can come together and form a solid unit that can compete.

The NL East race is not over yet, with over half the season still remaining. However, the Mets have instilled fear into the division with their great pitching and explosive hitting. This may be the year that a team other than the Atlanta Braves wins this division, and it's about time.