Shawn Estes thinks that this could be the year for the Giants

SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Shawn Estes shared his thoughts on what it takes to be successful in the playoffs. And if he turns out to be right, then the Giants just might be headed to the World Series for the first time since 1989, when the Oakland A's swept the Giants 4-0.

"I think all the games between the four teams in the National League playoffs are going to be really close," Estes said. "So the team with the best bullpen and closer will have the best chance to make it to the World Series. And with Rob Nen, we feel we have the best closer in the league and one of the best bullpens."

Nen, who had 41 saves during the regular season, hasn't blown a save since June and has only given up one run in the months of August and September.

Today at 1: 07 p.m., the Giants take their first step towards the World Series when game one of their best-of-five divisional playoff series against the New York Mets begins at Pac-Bell Park. The Mets Mike Hampton (15-10) goes against Livan Hernandez (17-11) in game one. In his career, Hampton is 9-0 against the Giants.

"You know, we like our chances against anybody but there's not one team in the playoffs that's a slouch," Estes said. "We've had success against all the teams in the playoffs and they've had some success against us."

The Giants won their regular season series against the Mets 5-3, including a four-game sweep at Pac-Bell in May. The Giants and Mets tied for the league's best home record at 55-26, which favors the Giants since they have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. But Estes realizes that numbers like that don't matter much in the playoffs.

"It's going to be a hard fought series and a battle every game," Estes said. "There's not going to many blow out games and that's the way we've played the Mets all year."

The Giants still haven't won a playoff game under Dusty Baker, now in his eighth year as the teams manager. In the 1997 divisional playoffs, the Giants were swept 3-0 by the Florida Marlins, who then went onto the win the World Series.

The Mets ended the season winning nine of their last 11 games while the Giants only went 6-5 over their last 10 games. But Estes said the Giants let down a bit after winning the NL West on September 21, when they beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 8-7.

"At first you go through a celebratory process after building up to win the thing," Estes said. "Then for the next couple of days, you're a little flat. But we knew we had to win in Phoenix to get home field advantage."

Barry Bonds, the Giants unquestionable leader, has struggled to produce in the playoffs. Bonds, who hit 49 homers during the regular season, has only one home run and five RBIs while batting .200 in four career playoff series, three of them with the Pittsburgh Pirates. And at age 36, he could be running out of chances to reach the World Series.

"Barry's been to a few playoff series and never won and Ellis Burks has played for 12 years and never won a World Series. So, you want to win for guys like that,"Estes said.

Estes said that after winning the division nearly two weeks ago, that he knew that the team wasn't satisfied with just making the playoffs, unlike in 1997.

"I think the overall attitude of the team after that game was, this isn't the last time we're going to celebrate this year," Estes said.

"And I felt when we won the division in 1997, that it was probably going to be the first and last time we were going to celebrate that year. But not this year."