Last week’s premiere episode of The Franchise felt cluttered and frantic, unsure of where to focus with the pre-season and the first few months of the season to cover. With tonight’s episode, the directors were limited to a few distinct story lines, and it worked in the show’s favor.
As baseball fans know, last week was the All-Star game, an event I personally consider a week off from baseball. And I think the players, at least professionally, seem to feel the same way. It’s clear the players enjoy seeing each other in a collegial atmosphere, goofing around at the home run derby, but they seemed less than amped-up in the locker room as Bruce Bochy delivered a pep talk that had all the zip and passion of a Lazy-Cake. The All-Star game has always felt so phony to me, as players rotate in and out without any real investment in the game, and I was glad the directors showed Bochy’s confusion and frustration with the revolving-door roster. If I were a player, I’d definitely rather be Barry Zito, at home eating scrambled eggs and avocado.
One player who had a great time playing in the All-Star game though was Pablo Sandoval, who enjoyed a 22-game hitting streak throughout the episode. Sandoval to me looks like a cuter, chubbier Sammy Sosa and the combination of that resemblance, his power hitting and the fact that he is a Giant makes me wonder if he’s on steroids. See, baseball? This is what you’ve done to me. I think Brian Wilson’s beard is probably on steroids too.
Speaking of Wilson, I finally got what I wanted that I missed last week, and that’s more attention on Mr. Beardie. Both the narrator and Seth Meyers at the ESPYs ribbed Wilson for his spotlight-seeking ways and possible overexposure. I happen to find him pretty funny, and not because he wore a spandex tuxedo to the made-up awards show. I liked him twirling his mustache, saying with the points up that it’s “nonthreatening, inviting, fun.” I know obviously there’s the beard thing going on, but his deadpan manner reminds me of Zach Galifianakis.