That’s the question after seeing the young Rockies secure the National League wild-card berth with 14 wins in their last 15 games, including a dramatic, come-from-behind victory over San Diego in Monday’s 13-inning tiebreaker. The Rockies then traveled to Philadelphia and claimed Game 1 of the NLDS Wednesday behind Jeff Francis, who had been roughed up and beaten soundly by the Phillies in the same ballpark three weeks ago.

Witnessing Colorado’s surge, it’s hard not to think of the 2004 Red Sox, who won seven of their last nine in the regular season, swept Anaheim in the Division Series and were absolutely unbeatable in the World Series after bouncing back from a 3-0 ALCS deficit to the New York Yankees. Or the 2005 White Sox, who closed with eight wins in their final 10 games of the regular season and won 11 of 12 postseason contests en route to their first World Series title since 1917.

But does a red-hot finish down the stretch usually result in postseason success? Not necessarily. Since 2001, 11 teams have finished the regular season with at least eight wins in their final 10 games. Among this group, the 2005 White Sox are the only club to go the distance.

One other team, the 2002 Giants, managed to reach the Fall Classic. They went on a 10-1 run to close out the season, but lost a seven-game Series to the Angels. In the NLCS, they bounced the Cardinals in five games.

Those Cardinals are one of the 11 teams to win at least eight of their last 10. They are one of four clubs who were eliminated in the LCS. The other three are the 2001 Mariners, who won 116 games during the regular season, the 2004 Astros, and the 2005 Angels, who lost to those world champion White Sox in five games.

That leaves five teams that failed to survive the first round of the playoffs.

The Oakland Athletics finished 29-4 in 2001 and 35-8 in 2002, closing with eight wins in their final 10 games both years. Yet, they were bounced from the playoffs in the Division Series after each season. In 2006, the Dodgers finished 9-1 and won their last seven games. Then they were swept by the Mets in Round 1.

What the Rockies have going for them that most of these clubs did not is that defining game: the stunning tiebreaker victory that has to be a substantial confidence-builder for the Kid Rocks.

The 2004 Red Sox had a few of them against the Yankees in the ALCS, and they swept the Cardinals in the World Series. The 2005 White Sox may have had theirs when A.J. Pierzynski reached base in the ninth inning of Game 2 of the ALCS against the Angels, courtesy of a debatable third-strike call by the home plate umpire. The game was tied 1-1 at the time, and the play sparked the Sox to the first of four straight wins over the Angels before they swept the Astros in the World Series.

There may be another defining game that will be critical to the Rockies, who will have to win a close contest or two to keep advancing. Will the magic and this wonderful storyline continue? Stay tuned.