Phillies-Rockies scouting report

Rockies: Todd Helton. While he might not have the power he did earlier in his career after back surgery a year ago, he came back to lead team in batting average (.325), hits (177), walks (89) and on-base percentage (.416). He is willing to sit on a certain pitch until he gets two strikes and then has the ability to foul off good pitches, often resulting in extended at-bats. He's the team's elder statesman and still one of the best defensive first basemen in the league.

Phillies: Ryan Howard. After 3 straight years of declining numbers, Howard put himself through a rigorous offseason conditioning program and the results were obvious. He increased his batting average by 28 points, his OPS by 50 points, had a career-high 37 doubles and lowered his strikeouts from 199 to 186. He also was noticeably improved with the glove, although was still prone to throwing errors. He and Prince Fielder tied for the major league lead with 141 RBI and he was third in homers with 45.

ADVANTAGE: PHILLIES

Rockies: Clint Barmes. A shortstop who happens to be playing second base, he can make some careless errors but will also make spectacular plays. Can hit a mistake and 23 homers prove he can be dangerous but has a tendency to get pull-happy and tends to be more effective when he concentrates on going to rightfield. In a perfect world, he could be a 5-day-a-week utility man since he can also play short, first, third and center.

Phillies: Chase Utley. Made his fourth straight All-Star team, although his .282 average this season was well below his .298 career coming into the season. Tied Florida's Dan Uggla for most home runs by an NL second baseman (31) and was second at his position in RBI (93). Tied for second among all NL players with 112 runs, a testament to his first-to-third ability. Has stolen 25 straight bases without being cauight going back to last season.

ADVANTAGE: BIG EDGE TO PHILLIES

Rockies: Troy Tulowitzki. He's the franchise. How many shortstops bat cleanup? Tulowitzki does, breaking up lefthanded hitters Todd Helton and Brad Hawpe. After hitting .216 with five homers and 16 RBI through June 6, batted .332-27-76 the rest of the way. He became just the ninth NL shortstop in history with a 20-20 season. His infield arm was rated second-best in baseball by Baseball America managers' poll and also has great range.

Phillies: Jimmy Rollins. Survived an early-season slump in which he was batting .205 with a .250 on-base percentage as late as July 1. From that point to the end of the season, he hit .288 with a .334 OBP that included 28 doubles, 15 homers and 50 RBI in 85 games. Led all NL shortstops with 69 extra-base hits and 100 runs scored. Team was 58-19 (.783) when he scored at least one run. Defending Gold Glover had just six errors and a .990 fielding percentage.

ADVANTAGE: EVEN

Rockies: Ian Stewart, Garrett Atkins. This has been Stewart's position much of the year but Colorado's mediocre (27-26) record when facing lefthanded starters could mean increased playing time for the Atkins in the NLDS. He could even be the key because, if he produces, it would give Colorado another righthanded threat to go along with Troy Tulowitzki. Stewart has big power but struck out 138 times in 425 at-bats.

Phillies: Pedro Feliz. Fully recovered from offseason back surgery, he had a career-high 154 hits and led the team by going 47-for-139 (.338) with runners in scoring position. Has occasional power from the lower part of the order but his greatest strength remains stellar defense.

ADVANTAGE: SLIGHT EDGE PHILLIES

Rockies. Yorvit Torrealba, Chris Iannetta. This will be an interesting decision for manager Jim Tracy. Torrealba had just 31 RBI all year but 14 came in September. Iannetta played only a handful of games in the final month but batted .296 against lefthanders compared to .220 for Torrealba and is much better at throwing out runners. He threw out 15 of 64 runners, Torrealba 4-for-53.

Phillies: Carlos Ruiz. For most of his career, he's been known as an excellent receiver whose offensive production, if any, was a bonus. While his catchers' ERA (4.02) was less than the team as a whole (4.16), he started hitting better late in the season. In his last 31 games, he was 30-for-90 (.333). It remains to be seen how a late left wrist injury will impact his postseason play.

ADVANTAGE: PHILLIES

Rockies. Seth Smith, Ryan Spilborghs, Carlos Gonzalez. Smith might be one of the most underrated hitters in the league batting .293 with 15 homers and 55 RBI in a part-time role. He was also 17-for-36 (.472) as a pinch-hitter. Spilborghs would give the lineup another righthanded bat. Gonzalez is a rising star, a five-tool player who has begun to blossom as his confidence has risen.

Phillies: Raul Ibanez. Was off to a tremendous start (.312-22-59 in 62 games) that earned him his first All-Star appearance but struggled after coming off the DL with a strained left groin. Batted .137 after being activated, but did hit seven home runs in his last 25 games. Had just three hits in his last 33 at-bats with runners in scoring position, dropped his overall RISP average for the season to .233.

ADVANTAGE: ROCKIES

Rockies: Dexter Fowler. The Rockies have brought Fowler along carefully this season, since he made the jump directly from Double A last year to the big leagues this season. But he's another building block for the future, a switch-hitter with loads of potential. He batted .321 righthanded but only .240 from the left side. He's an excellent defensive outfielder who, like Carlos Gonzalez, can also steal a base.

Phillies: Shane Victorino. Had another solid season, scoring 102 runs for the second straight year and reaching career highs in at-bats (620), hits (181), doubles (39), triples (13), RBI (62) and walks (60). From May 26 to the end of the season batted .357 (82-for-230) at Citizens Bank Park. Speed makes him a stolen-base threat and also allows him to cover a lot of ground defensively.

ADVANTAGE: PHILLIES

Rockies: Brad Hawpe. He's a streaky hitter who endured a tale of two seasons. In the first half he was .320-14-59 with 63 strikeouts and a .973 OPS. After the break, .240-9-27 with 82 whiffs and an .813 OPS. Also hit significantly higher against righthanded pitching (.303) than lefthanders (.243). Hit 14 of his 23 homers on the road. Has big-time opposite-field power. Likes pressure situations. Strong, accurate outfield arm.

Phillies: Jayson Werth. Had the breakout season he also believed he could produce if he played every day. Reached career highs in homers (36), RBI (99), doubles (26), runs (98) and walks (91). Batted .302 vs. lefthanded pitchers compared to .256 vs. righthanders. A patient batter who led the NL with 4.5 pitches seen per plate appearance.

ADVANTAGE: PHILLIES

Rockies: RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP Aaron Cook, RHP Jason Hammel. When it comes to pure stuff, Game 1 starter Jimenez is one of the elite pitchers in the game. It's not uncommon for him to still be throwing 97-98 mph after 120 pitches and he has the ability to change speeds. Has a tendency to rise to the occasion, although he can have first-inning problems. Cook, who will start Game 2, is one of the few pitchers who can survive with one pitch. When his sinker is working, he throws strikes and gets a lot of grounders, giving him a chance to be effective at Citizens Bank Park. Has picked up a four-seam fastball for a different look and can also change speeds. The loss of Jorge De La Rosa to a strained groin hurts, since he was the Rockies' only lefthanded starter and the team had won 16 of his last 20 starts. Jason Hammel will start Game 3 instead of veteran Jason Marquis. The decision was made largely on the basis of Marquis' late fade (four wins after All-Star break, 6.05 ERA the final month) while Hammel went 5-2, 3.87 after Aug. 1.

Phillies: LHP Cliff Lee, LHP Cole Hamels, TBA. The Rockies were 27-26 when a lefthander started against them this season, so it's no surprise that Lee and Hamels get the first two assignments at Citizens Bank Park. Both have been inconsistent in recent weeks, but Lee is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and Hamels was voted MVP of both the NLCS and World Series last year, so the Phillies are counting on big efforts from both. The Game 3 starter hasn't been announced and it will probably come down to how the first two games go and if J.A. Happ or Joe Blanton are used out of the bullpen.

ADVANTAGE: SLIGHT EDGE PHILLIES

Rockies: Closer RHP Huston Street. RHPs Matt Belisle, Matt Daley, Rafael Betancourt, Jose Conteras, Jason Marquis; LHPs Franklin Morales, Joe Beimel. Street bounced back from a season in Oakland during which he lost his closer's role to save 34 games in 36 opportunities. Betancourt is usually used in the eighth inning and Morales in the seventh, although that could be reversed depending on matchups. Morales and Beimel give manager Jim Tracy lefthanded options late in the game. Betancourt and Beimel were midseason acquisitions. Belisle and Daley were nonroster invitees to spring training. Daley has been a revelation since being called up at the end of April, throwing strikes from a funky delivery that makes it difficult for hitters to pick the ball up.

Phillies: RHPs Ryan Madson, Brad Lidge, Brett Myers, Chad Durbin, Kyle Kendrick; LHPs Scott Eyre, Antonio Bastardo. Managing his relievers will be Charlie Manuel's biggest challenge due to injuries (J.C. Romero, Chan Ho Park) and the season-long inconsistency of Lidge. No closer has been designated but it seems likely that Madson would be the first option, possibly pitching both the eighth and ninth. Myers, coming off a sore shoulder, could be a key since he has experience closing. For the first two games, at least, RHP Joe Blanton and LHP J.A. Happ will be available out of the 'pen.

ADVANTAGE: BIG EDGE TO ROCKIES