Game 1

Sports are as much about potential as anything else. Yes, I know about winning rings, statistics, the Hall of Fame. But if you ask me, the anticipation before Game 1 of the World Series is as fundamental to our enjoyment of sports as is a win-loss record.

Spring Training in baseball epitomizes the mythologized notion of a fresh start, amazing potential. Each team is like Schrodinger's Cat: at the start of the year, such are the possibilities that the team both wins the championship and does not win the championship at the same time. It is only when the results play out that one possibility goes away.

If you win or if you lose, there is always another match, always another season. At least until your team disbands or you retire. This may diminish the value of a victory, but it can also mitigate the sting of a defeat. It all depends on your perspective.

This is why, after the Rangers took a 2-0 lead before I got home, it was still possible for the Giants to tie it 2-2 going into the bottom of the fourth inning. Even against Cliff Lee, who is a great pitcher; I will gnash my teeth when he is a Yankee next year, even though it isn't like the Giants need him. Still, it's not like he would be for the Dodgers, so there's that concept that the enemy of the Dodgers is my friend. See? The beauty of possibility.

(Speaking of possibility, I just read that there is a chance Newcastle United will sign Landon Donovan in the January transfer window. It's like when they signed Michael Owen, only better, because Landon Donovan isn't perpetually injured. The alliance of my favorite soccer team with my favorite American player would be outstanding.)

Both pitchers are settling in and getting quick innings. This is fun! Lee versus Lincecum! Two new teams in the World Series, the Giants versus the Rangers, new blood instead of the battle of the Brobdingnagian squads from Philly and NY that everyone expected.

(By the way, a brief aside to eTrade: you should know that I will never use your services; I will specifically go out of my way to avoid using your services, because of your endlessly lame commercials featuring that damn baby.)

So much for worrying about Andres Torres and his appendectomy! A beautiful double down the left field line with one out in the 5th puts a runner in scoring position for the go-ahead run. Let's go, Freddy Sanchez! I love extra base hits, because that eliminates the threat--mostly--of double plays. And Freddy doubles in Torres!

And now, of course, if I finish writing here, it will forever preserve a moment in time when the Giants were ahead and Pat Burrell draws a two out walk. So I think I will do that, and go cook pasta and chicken sausage, and enjoy the rest of the game away from the computer. Let's go, Giants!

But of course, possibilities aside, what really matters is the result. No one ever really loves the journey or moral victories. Those are platitudes for the rationalizing and the contemplative. When it comes to baseball, I wanna win.