THEY PLAYED 162 games to eliminate 12 teams. So here are the four remaining National League clubs and where they rank as the road to the World Series begins.
2. Phillies
3. Cardinals
4. Rockies (wild card)
2. Phillies 93
3. Rockies 92
4. Cardinals 91
2. Cardinals .263
3. Rockies .261
4. Phillies .258
Insight: The Dodgers led the National League. Juan Pierre (.308), who saw most of his action when Manny Ramirez was suspended, was the only Dodgers regular to hit over .300 ... Albert Pujols, of the Cardinals, hit .327 and finished third in the NL batting race. His .327 average actually was the third-worst of his 9-year career ... Colorado's Todd Helton finished fourth at .325. When the Rockies swept the Phillies in the 2007 Division Series, he went just 1-for-12 (.083) ... The Phils' Jimmy Rollins hit .272 after the All-Star Game after struggling at .229 before the break.
2. Rockies: 190
3. Cardinals: 160
4. Dodgers: 145
Insight: Of the five teams with 200 homers, the Phillies were the only NL club. The Phils had four players with at least 30 - Ryan Howard (45), Jayson Werth (36), Raul Ibanez (34) and Chase Utley (31). None of the other three NL playoff teams had more than one. The Cardinals' Pujols topped the NL with 47. Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki had 32. Dodgers rightfielder Andre Ethier had 31 ... Citizens Bank Park (207) and Colorado's Coors Field (172) saw the most homers hit. Dodger Stadium had 127 and St. Louis' Busch Stadium had 120.
2. Phillies, Ryan Howard
3. Dodgers, Manny Ramirez
4. Rockies, Todd Helton
2. Dodgers
3. Cardinals
4. Phillies
Insight: Rockies pinch-hitters hit an NL-best .287. Dodgers' PHs hit .253 while St. Louis was .221. The Phillies .186 mark was the second-lowest in the league after Milwaukee (.175) ... When Colorado lefthander Seth Smith isn't starting, which he likely won't in at least a few games against Phillies lefty starters, he's one of the top pinch-hitters in the league. He hit .472 off the bench ... Veteran infielder Ronnie Belliard, acquired by the Dodgers at the trade deadline, had been nagged by a groin injury but seems OK now ... Lefty Matt Stairs, who hit a memorable bomb off the Dodgers' Jonathan Broxton in last year's NLCS, is the only real power off the Phillies' bench.
2. Rockies 23-20 .535
3. Cardinals 24-21 .533
