Despite two losses to Milwaukee this weekend while in the driver’s seat for the NL wild-card berth, the San Diego Padres have to be the favorite going into Monday’s one-game tiebreaker in Colorado against the surprising, young Rockies.

It’s Cy Young favorite Jake Peavy against Rockies right-hander Josh Fogg. Sure, the Rockies have won 13 of their last 14 games, and Fogg has been dubbed the “Dragon Slayer” for beating other teams’ aces of late, but if you’re managing the Padres or most other 2007 playoff teams, Peavy is probably the guy you would want to pitch Game 7 of the World Series.

After all, Peavy leads the National League in wins, ERA, strikeouts and quality starts. In his last 13 outings, he’s 10-1 with a 2.20 ERA. The one loss is the only time he has failed to work a quality start in this stretch. It’s the only time he has allowed more than two earned runs in a start.

Padres manager Bud Black faced a tough decision on Sunday. He could have called on Peavy to face the Brewers, but Peavy would have been pitching on three days’ rest. Peavy did that against Arizona on Sept. 5, with the Padres facing their final game of the season against their co-leaders in the NL West, and their ace in the midst of a 7-0 run in which he was as dominant as ever.

Peavy was roughed up for eight runs over four innings. He took that one loss -- his only loss in August and September -- and the Padres haven’t had a piece of first place since then.

On the other hand, Peavy has won his other two career starts on short rest and allowed a total of two runs in them. So, the question remains, should the Padres have gone for the jugular Sunday to avoid a one-game playoff in Colorado against a red-hot club?

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal suggested Monday that the Padres shouldn’t have gambled on Brett Tomko and a Milwaukee loss on Sunday. He believes they’ve already lost the gamble, no matter what happens on Monday night. Even if San Diego advances, Peavy will be out one day later before he can pitch in the Division Series. The earliest he would take the mound is Game 3, and his chance of pitching twice in the first round is out the window. That is, of course, if Peavy would have prevailed in Milwaukee Sunday. He hasn’t won there in three career starts.

Padres GM Kevin Towers told FOXSports.com that he supports Black’s decision. If Peavy wasn’t up to the task on three days’ rest Sunday, the Padres wouldn’t have their best pitcher working the biggest game of the season in Denver.

It’s hard to argue against Towers. Peavy is 3-3 with a 3.96 ERA in six career starts at Coors Field. In a venue where teams have averaged 5.29 runs a game this season, Peavy may have the final word on this issue.