In this week's edition of Sports Illustrated, Albert Chen has a terrific piece on the hotly-debated clutch gene in baseball entitled ‘Clutch Much?’

Whether or not you believe players are capable of elevating their skills when it matters most, the entertainment factor is undeniable. 

Some players, such as Miguel Cabrera, really do seem to increase their level of productivity when the game is on the line. Chen points out that Cabrera, the reigning American League MVP, "hit .348 with a 1.078 OPS this season, but those numbers jumped to .397 and 1.311 with runners in scoring position."

Reading the piece you'll find that many people around the game attribute the success of certain players in clutch situations, and with runners in scoring position, to a slightly different approach at the plate. The Cardinals, who set a Major League record by hitting .330 with RISP during the regular season, credit the focus they place on situational hitting beginning in spring training.

It's almost impossible to predict who will be the heroes of this postseason as the Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers fight to play in the World Series. However, we have put together a guide, using regular and situational hitting, to indicate who might be more successful during an important October at-bat.

Red Sox

As you might expect, David Ortiz has been very good with runners in scoring position this season. He also already has a two-homer game to his credit this month (hitting a pair off David Price in the ALCS). The author of many clutch moments in Boston baseball history, Ortiz hit .309 with a .959 OPS during the regular season, including .315/1.008 with RISP.

It's important to remember that a clutch October moment doesn't have to come via the home run. The sound off the bat may not be as loud, but pay attention to Daniel Nava, Jonny Gomes and Mike Carp if up at-bat with men in scoring position as the month progresses.

Nava hit .303 with a .831 OPS during the regular season, but slightly better with RISP: .306/.847. Gomes (.247/.771 and .346/.956) and Carp (.296/.885 and .333/.958) had fewer at-bats,  but also fared well when the Red Sox were threatening.

Tigers

We already touched on Cabrera's greatness in important situations, but Jim Leyland has three more hitters that have displayed a "clutch gene" of sorts. Prince Fielder, who hit a somewhat disappointing .279 with a .819 OPS in 2013, saw his numbers spike a bit to .282/.824 with RISP. Cabrera and Fielder are the heart of Detroit's order, so they should produce as such, while Omar Infante and Jhonny Peralta are relative afterthoughts.

Peralta was suspended in the wake of the Biogenesis scandal, but came back just in time to play a critical role in the Tigers' win over the Oakland Athletics in the ALDS. He lost 50 games because of the ban, but hit .303/.815 over the course of the season, including an astounding .344/.914 in runners at second and/or third base.

Infante was strong as well, hitting .318/.795 overall and .325/.805 with RISP. These are the guys that John Farrell won't want up at the plate in the middle of what could become a big inning.

Cardinals

St. Louis has a roster full of players (even without Allen Craig) that deliver when they can smell an RBI, but they have some better than others. As with Ortiz and Cabrera, you assume that guys like Beltran, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina would perform in vital situations for the Cardinals to be where they are currently.

Beltran, who is making his way up the all-time postseason home runs list, hit .296 with a .830 OPS during an impressive regular season, but those numbers jumped to .374/.972 with RISP. The key for anyone looking to beat the Cardinals is mainly to keep runners from advancing to second base. As mentioned above, St. Louis hit .330 with RISP with a team OPS of .865 during those situations.

Those numbers aren't just indicative of what their stars have done. Pete Kozma (hit .277/.548 overall and .322/.765 with RISP) and Matt Adams (.284/.839 and then .329/.927) saw some of the biggest jumps in averages on the roster. Yet another reason to laud the Cardinals organization.

Dodgers

The Dodgers might have the most star power of any roster remaining, but as they learned over the early part of the season – you can't get by on your name alone. 

Adrian Gonzalez, the big prize in last August's trade with the Red Sox, led the team during the regular season by hitting .293 with an .803 OPS. With RISP, Gonzalez's numbers surged to .323/.909.  Hanley Ramirez, who has been a revelation for the Dodgers in the second half, hit a tremendous .345/1.040 in limited action, but skipped those figures up to .368/1.237 in plate appearances with teammates in scoring position.

Opponents already fear Gonzalez and Ramirez, but pitchers will also have to be wary of Mark Ellis. The 36-year-old hit .282/.724 with an RBI in reach, up from .270/.674 in all situations.