SCHEDULE (best-of-five series)

Wednesday: Los Angeles at Chicago, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday: Los Angeles at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Chicago at Los Angeles, 8 p.m.

Sunday: Chicago at Los Angeles*, TBA

Tuesday: Los Angeles at Chicago*, TBA

All games on TBS; * if needed

OFFENSE

Manny Ramirez is the best hitter in this series and possibly the entire playoffs, but the Cubs are running an AL-caliber lineup with no holes except the pitcher's spot — and even then only when Carlos Zambrano's not pitching. Advantage: Cubs

DEFENSE

The Dodgers are about average defensively, while the Cubs grade out a notch above — especially on the infield. The Dodgers improve defensively if Rafael Furcal is fully healthy and able to replace, um, Angel Berroa. Advantage: Cubs

STARTING PITCHING

Derek Lowe, Chad Billingsley and Hiroki Kuroda give the Dodgers three solid right-handers to combat the Cubs' right-handed pop. But the Cubs are the NL's version of the Red Sox, with a rotation so deep that 17-game winner Ted Lilly is the No. 4. Advantage: Cubs

BULLPEN

This is a strength of both the Dodgers and Cubs, who ranked first and third in bullpen ERA. The Dodgers will be hurt by Hong-Chih Kuo's absence, though replacing him with phenom Clayton Kershaw softens the blow. Cubs' Carlos Marmol has some bad playoff memories to overcome. Advantage: Dodgers

BOTTOM LINE

Are the Cubs doomed by their history or inspired to change it? Are the Dodgers riding a dreadlocked destiny or just the product of playing in baseball's worst division? The Cubs have the best team in the NL but will have to prove they won't tense up in October. Cubs in four

3 REASONS THE CUBS CAN WIN

1. Curses aside, this is the best team in the National League — maybe in all of baseball. They scored the most runs, had the best on-base and slugging percentages, gave up the second-fewest runs and struck out the most batters.

2. The Cubs' 3.87 ERA ranked second in the NL (behind the Dodgers), and nobody can match their Ryan Dempster-Carlos Zambrano-Rich Harden playoff trio. Harden's 1.77 ERA with the Cubs is only 12 points behind CC Sabathia's mark with the Brewers.

3. Um, they're due?

3 REASONS THE DODGERS CAN WIN

1. We're still not convinced about a manager's impact, but in Joe Torre, the Dodgers have the most experienced and successful playoff manager of our time (though Terry Francona is catching up). If nothing else, maybe that helps the Dodgers' young players feel more comfortable.