A look at the best of seven National League Championship Series:

Hitting

Cardinals led the league in team batting average, hits, runs scored, RBIs and slugging percentage. They have speed at the top, muscle in the middle and can beat you with power or peck away with small ball. Still, top run-producer Scott Rolen was hitless in the first round and the trio of Albert Pujols, Rolen and Jim Edmonds combined to hit .214 against the Dodgers. While the Astros are known for the Killer Bs of Biggio, Bagwell and Berkman, it was midseason acquisition Carlos Beltran that made the difference. Beltran hit .455 and hit four home runs against the Braves.

Edge: Cardinals.

Starting pitching

The Cardinals have the deeper staff and better overall numbers. Their four starters are pretty much the same. They attack hitters and keep them off balance with cutters and sinkers. The Astros have a dominating duo in Roger Clemens and Roy Oswalt, but drop off considerably after that. The question is whether they have enough depth in a seven-game series against a potent lineup. This is why Clemens was lured out of a brief retirement -- "That champagne never gets old," he said. Because the series with the Braves went five games, the Astros will likely start Pete Munro (4-7, 5.15 ERA) and Brandon Backe (5-3, 4.30 ERA) in Busch Stadium.

Edge: Cardinals.

Bullpen

The Cardinals led the league in this department, too. Their relievers were 31-16 with a 3.01 ERA, and the left-hander/right-hander combinations will be used frequently late in games to get the ball to Jason Isringhausen. He's hittable, but he led the league in saves. The Astros aren't as deep. Octavio Dotel was traded away to bring in Beltran. Brad Lidge gets a lot of strikeouts with a nasty slider and he's a reliable closer, but he has put in a lot of innings down the stretch to get Houston to this point.

Edge: Cardinals.

Bench

The Cardinals don't go to their bench often -- not with hitters who also play good defense. When a pinch-hit appearance is needed, they call on John Mabry (13 homers, 40 RBIs). Houston's Jason Lane can play any position in the outfield, and Orlando Palmeiro was one of top pinch-hitters in the game. He was on the 2002 title team with the Angels.

Edge: Cardinals.

Manager

Tony La Russa is seasoned and savvy. Some mock him as being a know-it-all. But he has the respect of his peers, who know what's coming from the other dugout and can only try to counter it. Houston's Phil Garner has put some scrap iron into the Astros. It took awhile for the team to come together under him when he took the helm at the All-Star break, but he has the Astros on the hottest roll in baseball.

Edge: Cardinals.

Overview

The scales are tipped in favor of the Cardinals in this matchup of Central Division rivals. The Cardinals had the best record in baseball and finished 13 games better than the Astros, the largest margin of difference between first and second in any of the divisions. But the Astros beat them, 10-8, winning six of the last seven meetings. The Astros accomplished something that had never been done in the 42-year history of the franchise -- they won a playoff series. They are especially tough in their gimmicky ballpark, winning 19 of their past 20 games there. The Cardinals are too complete of a team, though, and will score enough against Houston's pitching. In Houston, they love a winner. In St. Louis, they love baseball, and they'll shake your hand at the end after they pound you.

Edge: Cardinals.