But now, two years removed, while the memories remain and the fallout for those involved is still very real, there is a sense that the focus is shifting back to the game on the field for the first time in a while.
Last year鈥檚 game devolved into a slog, as the Democrats took advantage of wildness and sloppy fielding to pile on in a 21-5 win. But there are new members of Congress who will be playing in their first Congressional Baseball Game on Wednesday night at Nationals Park (7 p.m. on 海角精品黑料.com and C-SPAN) who hope to bring an infusion of youth and excitement to their respective squads, hopefully improving the product on the field and bringing better baseball to this year鈥檚 game.
Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, is no stranger to the bright lights of a professional stadium. The 36 year-old played 32 games over four years at linebacker for the Tennessee Titans before attending law school and embarking on his political career.
鈥淥bviously, I鈥檝e been in football stadiums,鈥� he told 海角精品黑料 at a recent practice. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 still going to be cool, because there鈥檚 nothing like a major league diamond.鈥�
Allred played baseball as a kid in the Dallas area, where he was a center fielder through high school before settling in on football at the collegiate level at Baylor.
鈥淩eally, baseball was my favorite sport growing up,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y mom was a huge baseball fan. She grew up in Brownsville, Texas, and down there the strongest radio station that came in had the Cardinals with Stan Musial. That was some good years for them. So I kind of grew up with the love of the game.鈥�
Fellow freshman Rep. Greg Steube, R-Florida, was also a high school outfielder, making all-state. He turned down some college scholarship offers, but was going to try to walk on at the University of Florida before an injury derailed his career. Nevertheless, it didn鈥檛 take long for those in charge of the Congressional Baseball Game to find and recruit him to the team.
鈥淚t was in new member orientation, I think it was just the Republicans, and Rodney Davis asked if anybody played baseball 鈥� I was the only guy who raised their hand,鈥� said Steube. 鈥淚鈥檓 supposed to be sitting there getting a briefing, he鈥檚 like, 鈥楥鈥檓on.鈥� So he takes me down to the member鈥檚 gym. He had two gloves, he hands me a glove, we take our jackets off and start throwing in the member鈥檚 gym. And then you start to realize how important it is to a lot of members here.鈥�
Steube may well be the most important new addition to the game in years. The Democrats have held a marked advantage ever since Cedric Richmond鈥檚 arrival eight years ago. The Louisianian has started all eight games, winning seven of them with a 2.20 ERA (17 ER/54.0 IP) while also slashing .652/.758/1.087 with the game鈥檚 only home run of the last 10 years. But Steube could be the GOP answer, both at the plate and, more importantly, on the mound.
Sporting a zippy fastball, a cutter, and a 12-6 curveball, Steube was dominating teammates at a recent practice. That鈥檚 the culmination of a whole lot of preparation.
鈥淚 knew I was going to need to spend an incredible amount of time getting my arm ready, so I started in January,鈥� he said of his pitching program, with former Tampa Bay Rays second-round pick James Houser, who made a single big league appearance with the Florida Marlins back in 2010. 鈥淲hen I鈥檓 not here, I鈥檓 throwing every day back at home. We had a training course set up for the six months. If I wouldn鈥檛 have done that, my arm would be nowhere near where it is today.鈥�
Steube has been flying back to Florida on the weekends, pitching live batting practice to the Sarasota Christian High School team, where Houser coaches. He was slated to work his way up to about 80 pitches off a mound last weekend, hoping he鈥檒l be stretched out enough to go as long as his side needs him Wednesday night.
Still, as a former position player, he鈥檚 looking forward to digging in the box the most.
鈥淚 love to hit, so for me that鈥檚 going to be the most exciting thing, to hit in a big league stadium with fans,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful I can block all that when I鈥檓 out on the mound and just think about what I鈥檓 doing out there. I鈥檓 looking forward to it.鈥�
