SELF IMPROVEMENT

the franchise showtime
The second episode of the Showtime series The Franchise featured the San Francisco Giants All-Stars, particularly focusing on Brian Wilson, Ryan Vogelsong, and Pablo Sandoval.

With five players at the Midsummer Classic, the Giants had the most of any National League team, and with Bruce Bochy and his coaching staff at the helm, the dugout was filled with orange and black.

The game itself is being taken more seriously these days due to the fact that it determines who has home field advantage in the World Series, yet it still allows some time for the players and coaches to relax and have some fun.

This terrible news was delivered shortly after his wife's father—and Vogelsong's biggest fan—died of a heart attack.

In an emotional interview atop the peaks of San Francisco, Ryan's wife recalled a moment in the hospital room with her father. He told Ryan, "I'll get better and get out of here if you make it back to the big leagues."

Sadly, he did not get better, but Vogelsong did make it back to the big leagues and is now an All-Star.

This is the kind of thing that takes the show to another level: It is about not just baseball, but the joys and heartbreaks that come with being a professional baseball player, as well.

Perhaps it is the bizarre Brian Wilson who has the best perspective on it all saying, "As long as I'm playing baseball and still waking up the next day, there is nothing to complain about.