The “Team to Beat” just became the second best team in the NL East.
You remember Jimmy Rollins’ loud, proud statement last winter about the Phils being ready to step up and grab the mantle of division favorite.

So it took them all season to finally overtake the Mets. They did it, aided in no small part by an all-time “El Foldo” by the New Yorkers. The Phils won the NL East, only to be banished from the playoffs by those upstart Colorado Rockies.

Just yesterday Phils fans were rejoicing in the signing of free agent third baseman Pedro Feliz, and his big bat.

The glow lasted less than a day.

That’s because late yesterday afternoon, the hated Gothams trumped the Phils – and all of baseball – by inking the prize catch of the free agent market.

That would be one Johan Santana, a certified ace left-hander. All Santana has done in his career is compile the best record of any starting pitcher in baseball. That would be 93-44. He won Cy Young Awards in 2004 and 2006. Gee, did he have a bad year in 2005? Not exactly. He finished third in the voting. Last season he was fifth.

How dominating has the lefthander been? Over the past five years, he’s put together these gaudy stats: 82 wins with a 2.92 ERA and 1,152 strikeouts, all while pitching in the hitter-friendly, DH-dominated American League. Those numbers are tops in the AL.

Santana also is a money pitcher. He does his best work in the second half of the season, when each game takes on more stature.

There is another troubling aspect for the Phils. He’s a lefty, who routinely terrorizes left-handed hitters. That spells trouble for Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and the rest of the Phils’ lineup.

Yes, the Phils are the defending NL East champions. But they likely are now the second-best team in the division.

Buckle your seat belts. The Phillies-Mets heated rivalry just turned into a raging bonfire.