I recently caught the first episode of the new Showtime reality/documentary series, “The Franchise: A Season With The San Francisco Giants.” This is the first time a professional baseball team has partnered with a major station for this kind of show, and the end result is very, very good.

We get an inside look at the lives of some of the team’s key players: they range from quirky to complex and I felt myself rooting for them as the show progressed. MLB has gone through some peaks and valleys over the past several years, from the McGwire-Sosa home run race in 1998 to steroid scandals and over-inflated salaries that have tarnished baseball’s image.

The series is an interesting and proactive way for MLB and the Giants organization to tell their story, and I’m sure ticket sales at the ballpark will benefit this season.

FURTHER READING: LA Times, “Baseball Makes A Pitch for TV Stardom”

photo credit: SHOsports