Besides having Brendan Webb, the Diamondbacks are best known for the fact that they were outscored by opponents on the season and won their division. Despite playing in a field that inflates offense almost as much as the post-humidor Coors Field, they scored the third fewest runs in the NL, posted the worst batting average and OBP, and allowed the fifth fewest runs in the NL. Huh? The Diamondbacks rotation is led by Webb, but after him it's a collection of warm bodies, all of whom are pretty average pitchers.

The Rockies starting rotation is very similar, with the biggest difference coming at the top, where Webb is better than Jeff Francis. Offensively, the Rockies are far and away the better team. They scored more runs than Arizona, both at home and the road, and however you break it down, the Rockies have much better hitters than the Diamondbacks.

For the first all-NL West NLCS, I predict two things. First, that the record for most total feet above sea level in a playoff series will be shattered. Second, a Rockies win in 6 games. I think the Rockies' offense gives them a big advantage, although the Diamondbacks have been confounding people all year.

OK - let's get the obvious out of the way:

1) Colorado is on fire. Since September 15 they have lost just once (to Arizona and Brandon Webb interestingly enough). They hit .298/.373/.488 in September and had an un-Coors like 4.02 team ERA for the month. They steamrolled through the Phillies.

2) Arizona won the National League West this season with a negative run differential. This makes many statheads sad. Nonetheless here they are, hosting Game One of the NLCS at Chase Field.

So Colorado in a cakewalk, right? Not so fast. Arizona has actually been a very good team by virtue of run differential and any other metric that drills down further than wins and losses for some time now. In the month of September they were 15-11 and sported a comfortably positive run differential. A theretofore limp offense came around as Conor Jackson and Tony Clark were both sensational, and Mark Reynolds recaptured some of his early season magic. They hit .272/.354/.457 in September and pitched well to boot. They were the first team in the NL to clinch a playoff slot and once they were in, absolutely dominated the Cubs. It's ok to say it. The D-Backs are now a legitimately good ballclub.

I think it is going to be a fantastic series but ultimately the Rockies prevail thanks to more offensive star power and a deeper rotation (I really like Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales). Colorado in 6.

The Rockies made me look stupid by sweeping the Phillies after I predicted a 3-2 Philadelphia win in the NLDS. The trio of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins was one reason for picking the eventual loser, but the law of averages was the main factor in my wrong choice.

Colorado entered the division series on a 13-1 tear that included an 11-game winning streak. Those kind of runs can't go on forever, and I figured the surging Rockies were due for a letdown. They clearly disagreed. So why am I picking the Rox to beat the Diamondbacks and move on to the World Series?

The D-backs have been sprinkled with a fair amount of pixie dust themselves this season. Teams that are outscored 712-732 shouldn't win 90 games, but that's exactly what they did. From a statistical and real world standpoint, both teams are overdue for a date with adversity.

With ace Brandon Webb, closer Jose Valverde and some dependable middle relief, the D-backs bring decent pitching to the series, but this is a team with plenty of weaknesses. A .250 team average and .321 OBP is the worst in the National League, and it came at a hitter's park. Eric Byrnes led the team with a paltry (by current standards) 83 RBI.

While Chris Young has been hailed for his 32 HR and 27 stolen bases, the D-backs leadoff man has more holes in his game than a Swiss cheese warehouse. A .237 average and .295 OBP (just 43 walks and 141 strikeouts in 569 ABs) means Young is a one-dimensional hitter at this stage in his career. Normally, two home runs and a 3 for 11 performance with three walks against the Cubs would be an encouraging sign, but all eight of Young's outs were marked with a K.

I watched Doug Davis for several years while he was with the Brewers, and he seldom inspired much confidence. The Rockies have Jeff Francis and a makeshift rest of the rotation, but I like their bullpen depth, offense and sure-handed glovework. Look for a Rocky Mountain World Series, but don't bet the mortgage money on my evaluation.

The contrarian streak in me says Arizona is going to win the series. Nine of ten ESPN experts picked the Rockies to win the series. Seven of them predict it will last no more than six games. Joe and Sully like Colorado in six as well. But something doesn't add up. Arizona is a -125 favorite tonight, yet Colorado is favored to win the series.

As Sully noted, the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies the last time the game mattered for both sides. Brandon Webb defeated Jeff Francis. But Webb is far from a lock against the Rockies. In five prior starts vs. his division rival, the reigning Cy Young Award winner was 0-3 with a 6.47 ERA. Brad Hawpe (9-for-15 with 3 HR and 11 RBI) owns him. Kaz Matsui (8-for-17 in 2007 and 11-for-26 lifetime) has hit the sinkerballing righthander, too.

With a minus-20 run differential, the D-Backs are the fifth division winner since 1969 to be outscored during the regular season. Bad news, right? Well, the others were the 1984 Royals, 1987 Twins, 1997 Giants, and the 2005 Padres. Of these teams, Arizona and Minnesota are the only two to advance past the first round . . . and the Twins won the World Series. That sounds like a blueprint for the Diamondbacks to me.

Whichever team wins tonight wins it all. The layoff and a loss will shatter Colorado's momentum. Besides, momentum is overrated when it comes to the postseason. The 1960 Yankees won their last 15 games but lost in the World Series to the Pirates. Webb and the home-field advantage will be the difference makers. Arizona in 7.