Rested, Rusty, Ready or Rainy?

They have rolled into the 92nd World Series like a couple of runaway trains, the Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees, chugging and slugging their way down a postseason collision course, and when they play Game 1 in Yankee Stadium tonight, something has to give.

“The Braves have no weaknesses, and I sense they’re a team trying to carve out a piece of history for themselves,” Yankee pitcher David Cone said. “But we’ve had kind of a magical year too.

“The way we came from behind against Texas [in the division series], the way we won three games in Baltimore [to win the American League championship series], you can feel something special here.”

But is that feeling still fresh or is it as stale as the champagne players sprayed in their wild Camden Yards celebration last Sunday?

While the Yankees spent the week nursing sore hamstrings, aching backs and broken toes, the Braves were busy building a head of steam, ripping the St. Louis Cardinals by a combined score of 32-1 in three games to win the National League championship series after having trailed, 3-1.

The defending World Series champion Braves, who have appeared in four of the last five World Series, wrapped up the pennant Thursday night.

But the Yankees, making their first Series appearance since 1981, haven’t played since Sunday. And if the heavy rains expected today force postponement of Game 1, the Yankees will have gone a week between games. That’s plenty of time for rust to form on their swings and pitching arms.

“We’ll see what happens,” Yankee first baseman Tino Martinez said. “We needed the rest, but some guys like Darryl [Strawberry], Cecil [Fielder] and Bernie [Williams] were swinging hot bats, and if we come out struggling, that could be a problem. We just won’t know until [tonight], but I figure come game time, the adrenaline will kick in.”

The Yankees will need much more than adrenaline to compete with the Braves. Atlanta has had the best starting rotation in baseball since 1991, and the Braves’ staff--despite Strawberry’s indifference to John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine & Co.--should give them the edge over the Yankees.

“I’m not worried about their pitchers,” Strawberry said Friday. “I’m a baseball player. You don’t worry about who you’re facing. You just go out and play baseball.”

Not worried? Was that hairline fracture in Strawberry’s big toe, or somewhere closer to his hairline?

In case Strawberry missed it, the Braves completely shut down the Cleveland Indians in last year’s World Series, they have a 1.97 postseason earned-run average in 1995 and ‘96, and they provide a different look just about every night.

Game 1 starter Smoltz, who will oppose New York’s Andy Pettitte, is a right-handed power pitcher. Game 2 starter Denny Neagle, who will oppose Jimmy Key, is a left-handed control pitcher. Game 3 starter Maddux, who will oppose David Cone, is a right-handed control specialist. And Game 4 starter Glavine, whose opponent is undetermined, is a left-handed craftsman.

“You have to think small against them, take what they give you,” Yankee Manager Joe Torre said. “They’re very stingy with good pitches to hit. But if we play our game--and we’re not a power-laden team--we should be able to get our hits and score one run at a time.”

The Yankees, who ranked 12th in the American League with 162 homers this season, used the long ball for several big innings against the Orioles, including a six-run third to win Game 5 and a four-run eighth to win Game 3.

They connected for a record 10 homers in the championship series, three by Strawberry and two each by Fielder and ALCS most valuable player Bernie Williams, the center fielder who is batting .471 with five homers and 11 RBIs in the playoffs. Shortstop Derek Jeter has also been a postseason sparkplug, batting .415.

“If anyone thinks we’re going to shut them down, I’d like to see it,” Smoltz said. “They have a great lineup. I don’t know a whole lot about them, but I know they have a bunch of young guys who are going to be superstars and who have been delivering in the playoffs.”

For all the talk of the Yankees’ $65-million payroll and owner George Steinbrenner’s annual free-agent shopping sprees, the team’s cornerstones are home-grown products Jeter, Williams, Pettitte and set-up man Mariano Rivera, who had a 2.09 ERA and 130 strikeouts in 107 2/3 innings this season.

“They have a tremendous offense, a good pitching staff and a great bullpen,” Glavine said. “They’ve got guys up and down their lineup who can hurt you.”

And who are hurt. Back spasms have slowed third baseman Wade Boggs, a strained hamstring has hampered right fielder Paul O’Neill, and second baseman Mariano Duncan and outfielder Tim Raines have been bothered by sore hamstrings.

And then there is Strawberry’s right big toe, the subject of intense scrutiny--and speculation--all week. Strawberry, the thought-to-be-washed-up former New York Met and Dodger who is enjoying a revival this October, said he’s fine and expects to start in left field.

“Sometimes you just have to suck it up,” said Strawberry, who fouled a ball off his foot in ALCS Game 5. “I don’t want to make a big issue out of this because I don’t want to make any excuses if I don’t do well.”

Meanwhile, Martinez pointed out that although pitching is Atlanta’s strength, the Braves’ offense doesn’t gets the credit it deserves. Catcher Javier Lopez, first baseman Fred McGriff, third baseman Chipper Jones and the rest of the Braves made believers of the Cardinals, who are still wondering what hit them.

“Hopefully,” Martinez said, “the Braves wore themselves out this week.”