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CNNSI.com's John Donovan examines the 1-2 starting pitchers from each of the eight playoff teams.

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Johnson '01	21-6	2.49	249.2	181	372	71
	Postseason	2-6	3.70	60.2	51	73	19
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Schilling '01	22-6	2.98	256.2	237	293	39
	Postseason	1-1	2.59	31.3	24	28	10

The 1-2: As top pitching duos go, there are none better than Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Maybe ever. Certainly not this year. They are both fastball-first pitchers, though not fastball-only. Johnson has become so effective because of a slider he plays off the fastball. Schilling has a split-finger that can make batters look foolish and he's added a slow curve. Together, they have 665 strikeouts (1-2 in that category, with Johnson leading) and a 2.74 ERA. Arizona relies on both to go deep into the game, which is how both are well over 200 innings pitched. The lefty Johnson and the righty Schilling will no doubt end up 1-2 in Cy Young voting this year, too. After Arizona losses, Johnson is 10-2, Schilling 13-1.

Also pitching ... After those guys, it drops off to Miguel Batista (11-8, 3.36 ERA) and Albie Lopez (4-7, 4.00 with the D'backs). Batista and Lopez are both serviceable righties who can get the D'backs a few quality starts while the big guys get their rest.

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Morris '01	22-8	3.16	216.1	218	185	54
	Postseason	0-0	3.16	5.2	2	2	3
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Williams '01	7-1	2.28	75	54	52	19
	Postseason	none	--	--	--	--	--

The 1-2: Matt Morris was the NL's Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1997, but injuries to his shoulder and a surgery on his elbow knocked the righty out of the '99 season and relegated him to the pen in 2000. He returned to the rotation this season, tying with Arizona's Schilling for the most wins in the majors. Woody Williams came over from San Diego in a mid-season trade and has been a stopper for the Cards. Opponents are hitting just .205 off him. The Cardinals' real No. 2 man -- some see him as the ace of the staff -- is Darryl Kile (see below), but the team was forced to use him on the final day of the season.

Also pitching ... Darryl Kile (16-11, 3.09 ERA) lost the regular-season finale but will start Game 3 of the Division Series. The big right-hander was 20-9 last season and has been a workhorse since being obtained in a trade with the Rockies.

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Miller '01	16-8	3.40	212	183	183	76
	Postseason	none	--	--	--	--	--
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Mlicki '01	7-3	5.09	86.2	85	49	33
	Postseason	none	--	--	--	--	--

The 1-2: On a pitching staff filled with up-and-comers, 25-year-old righty Wade Miller has arrived. He has a hard, sinking fastball that batters routinely smash into the ground (a huge help at Enron Field). Opponents are hitting .234 off him, the seventh-best mark in the league. The Astros' staff has been riddled with injuries (Carlos Hernandez, Pedro Astacio, Roy Oswalt), which puts the untested Dave Mlicki in as a No. 2, at least for the time being. Oswalt may be able to make it back late in the division series or early in the NLCS. If he does, he'd immediately be stuck high in the rotation.

Also pitching ... Shane Reynolds (14-11, 4.34 ERA), at 33, is the old man in the Astros' rotation. He's really a No. 2, maybe even a No. 1, but he had to pitch the regular-season finale to clinch the Central for the Astros.

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Maddux '01	17-11	3.05	233.0	220	173	27
	Postseason	10-11	3.11	162.0	155	106	42
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Glavine '01	16-7	3.57	219.1	213	116	97
	Postseason	10-12	3.21	173.2	143	126	66

The 1-2: It'd be hard to conjure up two more experienced postseason pitchers than the right-hander Greg Maddux and the lefty Glavine. Between them, they have six Cy Young awards (four for Maddux) and more than 50 postseason starts. Maddux is on the longest non-winning streak of his career (he hasn't won since Aug. 22) and may be affected by a twisted elbow. Still, his 1.04 walks per nine innings are the best in the NL. Tom Glavine, struggling with the new strike zone, gave up more walks this year than he ever has. Still, he wouldn't give in and was in double-digit wins for the 13th straight season. They are unflappable and could be dangerous with just a little run support.

Also pitching ... Run support is what did in John Burkett (12-12, 3.04 ERA) this season. The Braves scored only 4.14 runs a start for him, the 11th worst mark in the league. Still, the veteran right-hander was reborn in Atlanta, finishing with the third-best ERA in the league.

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Garcia '01	18-6	3.05	238.2	199	163	69
	Postseason	2-0	3.60	15.0	16	13	7
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Moyer '01	20-6	3.43	209.2	187	119	44
	Postseason	0-1	5.79	4.2	5	2	1

The 1-2: The best staff in baseball -- though the Yanks might have something to say about that -- has four guys with 15 wins or more. Manager Lou Piniella has a lot to work with, so he's sending his ace, right-hander Freddy Garcia, out first, followed by 20-game winner Jamie Moyer. Garcia is a big guy, a workhorse who throws hard. Moyer's the perfect complement, a lefty who works off speed and is more precision than power. Together, Garcia and Moyer started 67 games. When you throw in Aaron Sele's 33 starts, you see why the Mariners have the pitching everyone envies.

Also pitching ... Sele (15-5, 3.60 ERA) is a right-hander with an outstanding curve. He's won 19, 18, 17 and 15 games the past four years and gives the M's another starter who can eat up innings (215 this season).

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Colon '01	14-12	4.09	222.1	220	201	90
	Postseason	1-1	4.17	23.7	20	18	12
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Finley '01	8-7	5.54	113.2	131	96	35
	Postseason	0-0	0.00	2.0	1	1	0

The 1-2: The rotation is considered the weakness of the Indians. The steady Bartolo Colon (34 starts, team-high 222 innings, 107 pitches a game) may be the best of the bunch. After him, manager Charlie Manuel is going with Chuck Finley, who was up and down all year but was 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA in four starts in September. If the Indians make it past the first round, Manuel will be patching the rotation on the fly, with guys like Dave Burba (who lost his last four starts) being thrown into the mess.

Also pitching ... C.C. Sabathia (17-5, 4.39), the big left-handed rookie, may be the Tribe's best pitcher. But he is a rookie, and using him in Game 3 in Cleveland will be a huge test. He is an ace in the making.

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Clemens '01	20-3	3.51	220.1	205	213	72
	Postseason	5-5	3.58	100.1	78	87	35
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Pettitte '01	15-10	3.39	200.2	224	164	41
	Postseason	8-4	4.28	119.2	130	62	35

The 1-2: Everything starts with Roger Clemens, the ageless right-hander who was a remarkable 20-1 at one time this season. No one is a harder competitor come playoff time. He slid a little late, going 0-2 in his final three starts -- both losses coming at the hands of the Devil Rays. Still, he's headed for his sixth Cy Young. He can strike batters out (third in the league), but he's become a much more complete pitcher as he has aged. Lefty Andy Pettitte is a nice change of pace, throwing a cutter that eats up right-handers and a good sinker.

Also pitching ... Mike Mussina (17-11, 3.15) had a better ERA, more strikeouts and fewer walks than Clemens did this year. If only the Yankees would have given him a little run support (4.53 a game, seventh worst in the league).

		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Mulder '01	21-8	3.45	229.1	214	153	51
	Postseason	none	--	--	--	--	--
		W-L	ERA	IP	H	Ks	BB
	Hudson '01	18-9	3.37	235.0	216	181	71
	Postseason	0-1	3.38	8.0	6	5	4

The 1-2: With as deep a staff as there is in the majors, the A's turn to 24-year-old lefty Mark Mulder to get them going in Game 1. He's never pitched in the playoffs -- he missed last postseason with a back injury -- but the pitcher with the most wins in the AL is strong and ready for this one. He's backed up in Game 2 by right-hander Tim Hudson, 26, who tied for the lead in the majors with 35 starts. Hudson has a split-finger and a curve that can baffle hitters, but pitching in Yankee Stadium against a veteran team will test him, as it will Mulder.

Also pitching ... Barry Zito (17-8, 3.49 ERA) started 35 games, too, and he gives the A's another lefty starter. Zito can throw a decent fastball, but he baffles with off speed stuff. Opponents are hitting just .230 off him.