Republicans aim for fifth straight win in Congressional baseball game

Washington is stocked with power players. The president. White House officials. Cabinet secretaries. U.S. Representatives. Senators. Powerful aides. Lobbyists. Journalists.

But how about baseball players?

Democrats and Republicans convene Wednesday night at Nats Park just blocks from the Capitol for the annual Congressional game.

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Since 1909, Democrats and Republicans have traded in conference committees for mound visits.

The Congressional Record for scorecards.

And parliamentarians for umpires.

Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, is a former Atlanta Braves farmhand. He gets his squad out on the practice diamond nearly every morning when lawmakers are in session at 5:45.

“We’ve been working out since March 1,” said Williams. “I think we’re as good as we were last year.”

However, he noted that springtime rain limited practice time. And, an injury might beset the GOP squad.

House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Blake Moore, R-Utah, started in center field for Republicans last year. Moore is one of the best overall athletes for either team. Moore won the high school Heisman Trophy in 1997. However, Moore injured his collar bone diving to make a save as a goalie in the Congressional soccer game a few weeks ago.

Yes, there’s a Congressional soccer game, too. And flag football game. And basketball game. And hockey game.

And voters sometimes wonder why nothing ever gets done in Washington?

UNDER THE DOME AND ON THE DIAMOND

Anyway, Moore says his clavicle has healed. Ironically, he can golf. But can’t play baseball. And can’t reach up to put away the dishes in the cupboard after dinner.

“That goes over really well with my wife,” said Moore.

A penalty for playing soccer?

“I fined him $500,” said Williams – we believe jokingly.

Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Texas, played right field last year. He moves to center field in place of Moore Wednesday night. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., patrols right field for Republicans.

Stutzman returned to Congress this year after an eight-year hiatus. Stutzman played in six games before, hitting .083. Stutzman used to pitch for the GOP. But his services out of the bullpen probably aren’t necessary. After all, Stutzman might not match up to other Hoosier State hurlers like Tommy John and Don Larsen. On the mound, Stutzman sports an 0-2 record with a 14.44 ERA in the Congressional contest.

That said, Williams does have a potential newcomer who can throw: Freshman Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., is a rookie and a fireballer. 

“He’s my Ryne Duren,” said Williams of Harrigan.

To the uninitiated, Duren was a flamethrowing all-star in the 1950s and ‘60s – mostly with the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Duren wore Coke-bottle glasses. The line “Oh say can you see” during “The Star-Spangled Banner” took on a little more meaning for opposing hitters when Duren was on the mound with his fastball.

Williams says Harrigan can bring it. But his control needs work.

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Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., enters her third year as the Democrats’ skipper. She’s the first woman to manage the team.

Women first played in the game in 1993. Former Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., along with former Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and current Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., broke the gender barrier. Both Lincoln and Cantwell played as House Members. Sanchez appeared in 11 games and is one of the best women to suit up. She hit .455, going 5-11 with two walks.

Sanchez bleeds Dodger blue. She historically wears a Fernando Valenzuela jersey while managing. Valenzuela was one of the most iconic Dodgers of all time, capturing the 1981 Cy Young Award with his screwball as “Fernandomania” seized southern California. Valenzuela died last fall.

But Sanchez used to pull for the “California” Angels – now the Los Angeles Angels. Sanchez switched her allegiance from the Halos to the Dodgers after the Angels let Nolan Ryan escape to the Houston Astros in late 1979.

One wonders how Sanchez would have felt if she were a New York Mets fan back when they traded Ryan to the Angels?

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Sanchez’s success at the plate hasn’t followed her into the Democrats’ dugout. Republicans have captured the last four contests – including the two which Sanchez managed. Republicans pounded the Democrats last year, 31-11. The GOP topped the Democrats 16-6 in 2023. There was no game in 2020 due to the pandemic. So the Democrats haven’t won since 2019. Republicans hold a 38-23 advantage in the “modern” era of the game. They began playing the Congressional game in 1909. But late House Speaker Sam Rayburn, D-Texas, halted the game because it became too violent.

There was a legendary collision at home plate in the 1956 game. Late Rep. Charles Curtis, R-Mo., was catching for the GOP. Rep. Olin “Tiger” Teague, D-Texas, steamrolled Curtis at the plate. Teague is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. But Teague buried Curtis at home in that game. Orderlies hauled Curtis off the old Griffith Stadium field on a stretcher.

Lawmakers resumed the game in 1962.

Sanchez is buoyed by at least four new freshmen – or rookies – on her club. Reps. Dave Min, D-Calif., Derek Tran, D-Calif., John Mannion, D-N.Y., and Johnny Olszewski, D-Md.

“Our principal weakness has been not a lot of depth to our bullpen. And this year we’ve got a couple of freshmen that can throw. So we’re hoping that with those additions, we can do a lot better this year,” said Sanchez.

Expect Mannion to work in relief.

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Like most Major League clubs, the Democrats need pitching.

“We had a great run for a little while when Cedric Richmond was on the mound,” said House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., who pitches, catches and plays infield for the Democrats.

Former Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., is one of the greatest players in Congressional Baseball Game history. He pitched in college. He threw 80-mph-plus to stymie fellow lawmakers. Richmond boasted an 8-0 record and a miniscule 2.64 ERA.

But Richmond left Congress to work for former President Biden in 2021. The Democrats haven’t been formidable since.

Heading into Wednesday’s contest, Sanchez teased that her goal with the Republicans in the game is “making them cry.”

“But we come together and do something good for the area,” added Sanchez, noting the $2 million the game raises for children’s charities in the DC area.

But she concedes, “there’s always trash talk.”

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So Democrats try to escape from their slump. The Democrats haven’t won under Sanchez. But they’re oh-fer since House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., took over in 2023.

“It’s my expectation that the Democratic comeback is going to begin in 2025 at the Congressional Baseball Game,” said Jeffries last week.

But the Brooklyn Democrat said the same thing two years ago.

“I think this is the year for the big, Democratic comeback,” said Jeffries in June 2023.

So, I questioned Jeffries in the Capitol corridors late last week.

“You realize since you’ve been the Minority Leader that the Republicans have defeated the Democrats by a combined score of 47 to 1?” asked yours truly.

“I also realize that my record as an active member of the Congressional Baseball Game team, I believe, was 9-1,” replied Jeffries.

But is that because of Jeffries? Or Cedric Richmond?

Statistics are paramount in baseball. Whether you’re scoring at home. Or using the Congressional Budget Office. Jeffries is 1-6 hitting in his nine games on the Democratic squad. That’s good for a .167 average. Well below the Mendoza Line. But he did swipe seven bases.

And this year, Democrats will again try to steal a win against a talented Republican club.

Gametime at 7pm ET on FS1 Wednesday. Yours truly will be on the call alongside colleague Kevin Corke.