No big loss

In this goofy postseason, dropping Game 1 hardly deadly

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The statistic, if you're into those sorts of things, is this: The winner of Game 1 of the World Series has won the Series 58 times in 97 tries. That's a tick under 60 percent.

The last five Series winners, in fact, all won the first game. Seven of the last eight Series winners, if you're counting, and 12 of the last 14 have won Game 1.

And so, it would seem, the San Francisco Giants are sitting high and mighty after their Game 1 win over the Anaheim Angels on Saturday night in the 98th World Series. Statistically speaking, of course.

"It's real big," says Dusty Baker, the manager of the Giants. "That's not the whole series, but it definitely gives you ... it jump starts you for the series."

Or, perhaps, not.

In this particular postseason, where wild cards reign and the home field advantage is the kiss of death, a Game 1 victory doesn't mean a heck of a lot. Sure, it's better than a loss. Who wants to start the World Series off on a loss?

But if you were looking for furrowed brows on the Angels, or listening for big sighs of relief from the Giants, they weren't coming Saturday. The Angels, especially, took the results of Game 1 fairly calmly. It's as if they'd been there before.

As if they'd been there last week, in fact. And the week before that.

"We got them right where we want them," joked the Angels' Game 1 starter, and loser, Jarrod Washburn.

"We've been here before," said their designated hitter, Brad Fullmer.

"We've always been able to bounce back," said outfielder Tim Salmon.

Yes, if anyone can rebound from the sure horror of a loss in Game 1, it is the Angels. They're pros at it.

In the division series against the New York Yankees, remember, the Angels dropped Game 1. And then ripped off three straight wins to take the series.

In the American League Championship Series against the Minnesota Twins, remember, the Angels lost the first game. And then ripped off four straight wins to take that series.

So it's going to take a lot more than a little loss in Game 1 of this series -- sorry, this Series -- to worry the Angels.

What should worry them is their performance Saturday in the clutch (they were only 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position). What should worry them is Barry Bonds swinging the bat like he did in his first at-bat Saturday.

What should worry the Angels, if they're going to worry at all, is another loss in Game 2 on Sunday and the prospect of going to San Francisco down 2-0 in the best-of-seven Series.

Even then, though, this is not a worrywart team. This is a team, remember, that hung with the Oakland A's when they were winning 20 straight. This is a wild-card team that wiped out the favored Yankees, that whipped through the Twins in the ALCS and that out-hit and, you could argue, out-pitched the Giants on Saturday.

Losing Game 1? Losing home field advantage?

Who wanted it anyway?

"This obviously isn't a blueprint, to go out and lose Game 1 of any series," Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters. "We're going to look one game at a time and let you guys add them up.

"We will bounce back and play a good game [Sunday]. I know this club."

After the loss Saturday, the Angels showered and dressed and prettied themselves up for the cameras, at least a little bit, and did the rest of their media duties. A couple of them languished around with a beer. Most dressed quickly and tried to get home.

None of them -- not a one -- looked anything close to worried about their Game 1 loss. They know that they had their chances (they left eight on base). They know that they did some good things (third baseman Troy Glaus hit a pair of home runs and the Angels came back from 4-1 down to make a game of it).

They also know that they did some stupid things (giving up three home runs, swinging at too many balls out of the strike zone).

Most of all, they know that Game 1 doesn't mean everything. Because there's always a Game 2.

John Donovan is a senior writer for CNNSI.com.

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