One That Got Away - The Plank

18.07.2008

One That Got Away

If Democratic success in this year's elections hinges on closing out a lead and not choking in the clutch, then last night's 47th annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game was not a good omen.

To set the scene: After a five-run outburst in the bottom of the sixth, the GOP took a seemingly insurmountable 8-4 lead into the top of the seventh and final inning. But luckily for the Democrats, the Republicans sent Nevada Senator John Ensign to the mound. Ensign is apparently even worse at pitching than he is at fundraising. After four walks (!) and an infield single, Democrats had cut the lead to 8-6 and the GOP sent its starting pitcher, Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois, back into the game. Shimkus quickly notched two strikeouts, bringing the Democrats down to their last out. But then Rep. Joe Baca of California blooped a two-run single to right to tie it up, and as the chant of "Yes We Can" echoed among the Democratic partisans in the crowd, Rep. Adam Smith of Washington grounded a seeing-eye single into center field to score two more, for a 10-8 Democratic lead.

But Republicans rallied off of the Democratic relief pitcher, Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, in the bottom of the seventh, quickly loading the bases (thanks in part to a failed, illegal Democratic attempt at the hidden ball trick). The Dems then sent their starting pitcher, Baca, back into the game. After a wild pitch, a popout, and an intentional walk, Democrats clung to a 10-9 lead with one out. Baca (a former semi-pro shortstop who, at 61, turned in a very impressive performance) then got Rep. Connie Mack IV of Florida (who was, appropriately, sporting a Philadelphia Athletics jersey) to hit a weak comebacker. Baca threw home for the second out, and the Democratic catcher, Rep. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, had plenty of time to throw to first to complete the game-ending double play. But Murphy's throw sailed into right field; the tying run scored easily and speedy pinch-runner Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida raced home ahead of the relay with the winning run for the GOP. Republicans 11, Democrats 10--and the Dems still haven't won since 2000. Not quite change we can believe in.

--Josh Patashnik

*National Journal photo from 2007 game

Posted: Friday, July 18, 2008 10:07 AM with 15 comment(s)

Comments

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johnalthousecohen said:

Why is it that all of a sudden half the blog posts on TNR have to be about either sports or sports metaphors? This post is incomprehensible to me.

And TNR clearly does not care much about its female readers.

July 18, 2008 10:46 AM

adaglas said:

Does this game determine who has home field advantage during the next Ways and Means Committee meeting?

July 18, 2008 11:00 AM

dubyadoubte said:

Ah yes, eggheads and baseball. Really - what is this, "The George Will Sports Machine"?

www.nbc.com/.../play.shtml

July 18, 2008 11:06 AM

Projo Sports Blog said:

One thing that sports has over politics: While you can rarely prove that one political side or another is actually correct on an issue, you can always prove which sports team is better (at least on any given night) by...

July 18, 2008 11:19 AM

bigfish said:

john, I think you might have a little bit of confirmation bias. If I didn't see Wall-E (which I did, and loved it to boot!), and had no interest in seeing it, and I noticed that there have been numerous blog posts referencing that movie, I might argue that the great number of Wall-E posts means that TNR doesn't care about its non-family readership. Now, I won't say that the number of sports references isn't significant, but it's not the only non-political subject that gets a lot of airtime.

Although, if TNR's female readership finds sports-related blog posts actively off-putting, instead of just something that's not for them, then that's a different issue. Do you think that TNR's female readers feel simply left out of the conversation, or do you think they feel pushed out? I think there's a significant difference between exclusion and non-inclusion.

July 18, 2008 11:31 AM

An additional comment: It's not lost on me that many women enjoy sports. I can honestly say that my two friends who are most emotionally invested in baseball are women (and both named Vanessa, in fact.) I also know that many men don't know a suicide squeeze from an infield fly from a double play, and also couldn't care less about baseball. But, these generalizations of men liking and women not really caring about sports, while not entirely true, are true enough to use.

However, caveats aside, re-reading Josh's post, I think it's noteworthy to note that all of the players mentioned in the game (John Ensign, John Shimkus, Joe Baca, Adam Smith, Bart Stupak, Cornelius "Connie" Mack IV, Chris Murphy, and Adam Putnam) are all men.

July 18, 2008 11:41 AM

chrispkenny said:

If this post is "incomprehensible" to you, then please move to Europe. Immediately. There are plenty of women who, God bless them, know the game of baseball as any decent American ought to.

July 18, 2008 12:11 PM

williamyard said:

Sounds too much like making sausage to me.

We should demand that our legislators engage in nude coed rugby on a muddy field on a steamy District night. Then, to quote Van Morrison, they might "get down to what is really wrong."

July 18, 2008 12:19 PM

tec619 said:

dubyadoubte: George Will Sports Machine? You kill me.

July 18, 2008 12:28 PM

blackton said:

bigfish, I agree. Besides, I am not sure how this is so much a metaphor as an actual accounting of a baseball game. Now if Josh just said the Republicans came from behind to win in one sentence after his lead then I can see how it can be taken as a metaphor, but Josh ruined the metaphor with his breathless recounting of the game in such detail. The fact that anyone besides the staffers and family of the players watched it is strange to me. It is just to DC insiderish to really merit such a long post.

July 18, 2008 12:46 PM

Exurban League said:

- Elderly politicians clinging to leadership while younger politicos yearn for more involvement. - Miscues, gaffes, and a thrilling, last-minute, come-from-behind victory. - Democratic operatives trying dirty tricks and cheating to win. Typical Washington

July 18, 2008 1:40 PM

ischultz said:

johnalthousecohen--As a female House staffer who witnessed all 3+ hours of this game (and the pomp that accompanied it), I'm slightly offended you would imply this post or any TNR sports-related posts would not be of interest to women. Which century are you living in?

Linda Sanchez was the only woman to play in the game, sporting her #IX jersey. She had a couple of at-bats and got on base once. She is a fan favorite. For those not in attendance, this game was a nail-biter and the most fun I've had in a long time, win or lose. Mostly lose. It hurts. But the comeback in the top of the 7th was still great!

July 18, 2008 3:26 PM

mjmckay said:

By the way all, the SF Chronicle discovers the virtues of our own Bill Yard and baseball here http://tinyurl.com/5wbabd (or click my name)

July 18, 2008 6:11 PM

They're desperate to sell papers.

July 18, 2008 6:42 PM

CRS9TNR said:

This story sounds suspiciously metaphorical.

Crowds chanting 'Yes we can!", Democratic Partisan Reporters in the crowd.

Dems are cruising when Michigan (Rep. Bart Stupak) stumbles, and loses when Folrida (Rep. Adam Putnam) scores the winning run on a Democratic error.

July 18, 2008 7:09 PM