Who's hot; who's not
Who's hot PHILLIES: Ryan Howard. The Phillies first baseman has hit .349 (22-for-63) with seven home runs and 23 RBI over the last 16 games.
Who's hot
PHILLIES: Ryan Howard. The Phillies first baseman has hit .349 (22-for-63) with seven home runs and 23 RBI over the last 16 games.
ROCKIES: Troy Tulowitzki. The 2006 Rookie of the Year hit .350 over the final month of the season with eight home runs and 19 RBI. As expected, he's been a huge part of Colorado's run to a wild-card berth.
Who's not
PHILLIES: Chase Utley. Much has been made of Utley's .204 average in September but of more concern was his .304 OBP. Even when he struggles at the plate, Utley always has been able to reach base close to, if not over, .400.
ROCKIES: Third Base. Ian Stewart and Garrett Atkins have combined to hit .227 this year. Despite that low average, Stewart and Atkins have combined for 118 RBI and 34 home runs.
Obscure stat
Another indication of the importance of Game 1. The Phillies are 7-3 in playoff series in which they win Game 1. They are 0-6 in series in which they lose the opener.