Last year, the Dodgers were:

24-28 in the first game of a series
16-8 when they won the first game
21-7 when they lost the first game
7-9 when they won the first two games
17-11 when they split the first two games
3-2 when they lost the first two games
0-2 when they won the first three games
2-2 when they won two of the first three games
1-1 when they won one of the first three games
1-0 when they lost the first three games

37-15 in the second game of a series
27-22 in the third game of a series
4-5 in the fourth game of a series

After losing their season opener in 2002, the Dodgers won the first game of a series seven consecutive times. However, the Dodgers ultimately lost more first games than they won.

Win or lose, however, the Dodgers were awesome in the second game of a series, playing .712 ball.

IÕve read in some places that the Dodgers werenÕt very good at going for the kill Ð i.e., a sweep. Considering the law of averages, though, I donÕt think a 7-9 record in third games after winning the first two games of a series is all that bad. And though they were 0-2 when going for four-game sweeps, obviously, they were one win away from being respectable in that category.

HereÕs the Dodger record for 2001:

23-30 in the first game of a series
15-7 when they won the first game
17-13 when they lost the first game
6-8 when they won the first two games
14-9 when they split the first two games
8-5 when they lost the first two games
1-2 when they won the first three games
1-3 when they won two of the first three games
0-0 when they won one of the first three games
0-0 when they lost the first three games

32-20 in the second game of a series
28-22 in the third game of a series
2-5 in the fourth game of a series

Hmm É 2001 is pretty damn similar to 2002. Still losing more of their first games; still playing over .600 ball in second games. And look at the resemblance in third games. Eerie...

Is there any value to be taken from this other than the trivial kind? Maybe not. I do think that the improvement in results from Game 1 of a series to Game 2 is interesting, and so I would like to know whatÕs happening in Game 2 that isnÕt happening in Game 1. But thatÕs assuming thereÕs anything to be found.