NL East the most competitive division?

According to Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies, the NL East might be the most competitive division in baseball this year, which would be a major shift from the norm. Philadelphia is armed with Johnathan Papelbon and has most of its 2011 lineup back in the fold, minus Roy Oswalt, who wasn't a big part of the 2011 team because of his injury, but the rest of the NL East, namely the Braves, Nationals and Marlins are also major contenders. The Miami Marlins signed Jose Reyes, Heath Bell, Carlos Zambrano, Josh Johnson and Mark Buhlere, giving the Marlins one of the most lethal rotation in baseball for 2012, plus a very good closer. However, the Nationals have an even more impressive lineup, with Stephen Stratsburg, Gio Gonzales, and Edwin Jackson, along with hitter Ryan Zimmerman, outfielder Jayson Werth, and many other elite players. Last year, the Nationals finished with 80 wins, just a game under .500, and that was without Gonzales or Edwin Jackson. The Nationals are in contention with the Phillies for the title this year, and are just a few good players away, say, another two ace pitchers to complement the three ace pitchers they already have, and another power hitter, from being a once in a generation lienup, the kind of lineup that wins multiple championships and posts 100+ wins. With closer Storen on board, the Nats are in contention to win it all this year...but if they sign free-agent pitchers Cole Hamels and Matt Cain following the 2012 season, plus Mike Napoli from Texas if they let him go, the Nationals could become a colossal force on the field...how does a decade-long dynasty sound? The Nationals could pull it off. In the words of Charlie Manuel: "Yankees fans and Boston fans might argue it, but every team in the NL East is capable of beating them."