MLB

A-Rod vs. Howard in star-power showdown

You don’t often get two sluggers of this magnitude in one World Series.

Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Howard are the toasts of their respective cities and having the kind of month on which legacies are built.

All eyes will be transfixed to potential Hall of Famers Jimmy Rollins, Derek Jeter, Pedro Martinez and Mariano Rivera starting tonight, but it’s two others — Rodriguez and Howard — at the head of the class.

All that hangs in the balance is a world championship.

“They are two of the top superstars in the game,” former Mets closer John Franco said. “Ryan, during the playoffs has done everything for Philly, and A-Rod has been the best player in the game for years and finally it has showed in the playoffs.”

Rodriguez takes a .424 average with five homers and 12 RBIs into Game 1 of the World Series. Howard also has dominated, sporting a .355 average with two homers and 14 RBIs.

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Howard has the edge in World Series experience: He slugged two homers against the Rays to help the Phillies win last year’s world championship, but Rodriguez is the hottest player on the planet.

“They’re doing it basically in the same fashion in that there’s no urgency in their approach,” TBS analyst Buck Martinez said. “It’s kind of cool to see them both going off at the same time.”

During the regular season, Rodriguez returned from hip surgery that sidelined him for 28 games to hit .286 with 30 homers and 100 RBIs. Howard hit .279 with 45 homers and 141 RBIs.

The last World Series that had sluggers of this magnitude opposing each other probably was 2004, when the Red Sox featured Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz and the Cardinals had Albert Pujols. Before that, you might have to think in terms of the 1962 World Series, when Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays were the focal points, for the Yankees and Giants, respectively.

“What I see in A-Rod is a genuine joy in his baseball,” Martinez said. “He’s been through a lot, we all know that, and he got back to being a baseball player. He reminded himself, ‘This is what I always dreamed of.’ And he allowed himself to be a baseball player again.

“That’s why he is having great at-bats. There is no panic in his approach. There is no urgency in his demeanor at the plate and he’s letting the game come to him like he used to.”

Howard isn’t far behind.

Franco, now a radio host, was asked which player he’d rather face with a game on the line in the ninth inning.

“I’d pitch them both very carefully, that’s for sure,” Franco said. “They’re both tremendous players and they’ve got tremendous power to the opposite field. They bring a lot to the table and their teams. I’m glad to see they’re having fun with it, and it’s good for baseball.”

Martinez said Rodriguez is the more dangerous player right now, but it wouldn’t take much for the pendulum to swing.

“Ryan Howard is a very competent, very relaxed producer,” Martinez said. “What captures him is when they got to the dugout in the top of the ninth in Colorado [in the NLDS], he said, ‘Get me to the plate, boys.’ “

And [manager] Charlie Manuel turned around and said, ‘That’s a hell of an idea. Let’s get Howard to the plate.’ Both have played with a lot of confidence and both have produced.”

mpuma@nypost.com