How they match up

First base: The key hits Nomar Garciaparra provided the Dodgers down the stretch obscured the fact that his overall performance slipped as the season progressed. He batted .358 in the first half and .229 in the second half, and much of the slide could be attributed to deteriorating health. He’s suffering from a nagging left thigh strain and a painful strained muscle in his side but will get as many at-bats as possible. If the Dodgers take a lead into the late innings, expect a pinch-runner for Garciaparra and slick-fielding rookie James Loney spelling him on defense. The Mets’ Carlos Delgado, with 38 homers and 114 runs batted in, is the middle-of-the-order power hitter the Dodgers lack. He is vulnerable to left-handed pitchers, batting .226 with seven homers against them. Edge: Mets

Second base: Nobody can grin and bear an injury better than Jeff Kent, and he has been smiling through the pain of a sore rib cage for three months. It is especially costly on defense, further diminishing his already limited range. The injury also has cost Kent power, but he remains one of the best clutch hitters in baseball. He batted .348 in September to finish at .292 and gain a slight edge over his Mets counterpart, Jose Valentin. A candidate for comeback player of the year, Valentin batted .271 with 18 home runs after batting .170 in an injury-riddled 2005 season with the Dodgers. Like several of his teammates, he is a much better hitter against right-handed pitchers. Valentin has more range than Kent but much less experience playing second base. Edge: Dodgers

Shortstop: Rafael Furcal of the Dodgers and Jose Reyes of the Mets have similar roles, and the one who sparks the most rallies from the leadoff spot could be pivotal to the series. Furcal overcame a slow start and developed into the Dodgers’ most reliable and versatile offensive player, scoring 113 runs while batting .300 with 15 home runs and 37 stolen bases. Reyes might be two steps faster, and has at least as much power. Both have extremely powerful arms and are capable of making sensational plays while occasionally botching routine ones. Edge: Even

Third base: David Wright of the Mets is rapidly developing into one of the best power-hitting third basemen in baseball. He provides a much-needed right-handed bat in the middle of the lineup, hit .365 with runners in scoring position and fields his position well. The Dodgers probably will play Wilson Betemit against right-handed pitchers and Julio Lugo against left-handers. Both players were acquired in July trades and have produced sporadically. Betemit has power and Lugo has speed, but neither is close to the all-around level of Wright. Edge: Mets

Catcher: When rookie Russell Martin was converted from third base to catcher four years ago, the Dodger he emulated was Paul Lo Duca. Now Lo Duca is an All-Star with the Mets who has continued to hit well since the Dodgers traded him to Florida in July 2004. He’s also a strong on-field leader. Martin, meanwhile, has quickly developed into a standout catcher. He provides a steady bat in the bottom half of the lineup, showing occasional power and surprising speed. He is athletic behind the plate and has thrown out 31% of runners trying to steal. Lo Duca is more highly regarded only because of experience. Edge: Mets

Left field: This was one of the Dodgers’ most productive positions, though in an odd way. Rookie Andre Ethier made the jump from double-A most valuable player to consistent big league hitter until late August. Just when he began to struggle, the Dodgers plugged in veteran Marlon Anderson, who had been acquired primarily to pinch-hit yet emerged as a September star. Injury-plagued Cliff Floyd is a question mark for the Mets. He battled Achilles’ tendon and ankle injuries much of the season and batted .236 in only 123 at-bats after the All-Star break. Endy Chavez, who batted a career-high .306, will play if Floyd can’t. Edge: Dodgers

Center field: The Mets’ switch-hitting Carlos Beltran is a complete player of the caliber the Dodgers lack. He has more than twice as many home runs as any Dodger, runs well and is an excellent fielder. The seemingly ageless Kenny Lofton has been productive batting in the No. 2 spot for the Dodgers, stealing 32 bases and exceeding his career average of .299 by batting .301. However, the 16-year veteran has lost a step in the outfield and does not throw well. Reserve Jason Repko is a better outfielder, but the Dodgers are reluctant to take Lofton out of games even when leading in the late innings. Edge: Mets

Right field: Two winters ago, the Dodgers signed J.D. Drew to a lucrative five-year contract and made room for him by trading Shawn Green and eating an enormous portion of his contract. Was anything gained in the swap? Both players have an effortless style often construed as lack of hustle. Drew made it through the season without an injury, playing in a career-high 146 games, and turned it on the last two weeks, providing numerous key hits and finishing with 100 runs batted in for the first time. Green, acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in August, had his least productive season since his rookie year but continued to perform well against the Dodgers, batting .412 against them. Edge: Dodgers

Starting pitching: This is the perceived Achilles’ heel of both teams. The Dodgers’ only reliable starters at this juncture are Derek Lowe and Greg Maddux, and only Lowe can be counted upon to get deep into games. Brad Penny’s health is uncertain, and rookie left-hander Hong-Chih Kuo has made five starts. Yet this might be the area where the Dodgers hold their biggest edge. The Mets are reeling from the loss of ace Pedro Martinez, who will have surgery this week to repair a torn rotator cuff, and scheduled Game 1 starter Orlando Hernandez is questionable because of a calf injury. Otherwise, the Mets must count on pitchers whose best years are behind them -- Tom Glavine and Steve Trachsel. Edge: Dodgers

Bullpen: Dare it be said? Dodgers closer Takashi Saito has become nearly as dominant as Eric Gagne, striking out 4.6 batters for each one he walks. The Mets counter with hard-throwing veteran left-hander Billy Wagner, who had 40 saves but walked more batters per inning than in any recent season. Both teams also have excellent eighth-inning relievers -- rookie right-hander Jonathan Broxton of the Dodgers and Aaron Heilman of the Mets -- but the quality falls off from there. Although Dodgers left-hander Joe Beimel was surprisingly consistent, converted starter Brett Tomko was vulnerable in September, and several of the other relievers are failed starters. The Mets were hurt by the loss of former Dodger Duaner Sanchez, who is out because of a separated shoulder. Edge: Mets

Bench: Thanks to the tireless work of General Manager Ned Colletti, the Dodgers’ bench became stronger as the season progressed. Lugo is a versatile infielder, Toby Hall an able backup catcher and Repko a skilled outfielder. Olmedo Saenz is an excellent pinch-hitter, and Anderson would be invaluable coming off the bench on days Ethier starts in left field. The Mets’ bench includes light-hitting infielder Chris Woodward, 48-year-old Julio Franco and outfielders Michael Tucker and Chavez. Former Dodgers left-handed pinch-hitter Ricky Ledee was left off the playoff roster. Edge: Dodgers

Manager: Grady Little did a masterful job of pulling the Dodgers out of a midseason tailspin and getting the most out of several fatigued, banged-up players down the stretch. Willie Randolph will make his first postseason appearance as a manager after leading the Mets to a runaway East Division title. Edge: Even