By Thomas McKinless and Alex Gangitano

It’s the week of the 56th annual Congressional Baseball Game and both Democrats and Republicans have been busy at early morning practices to prep for Thursday night’s match up. The Republicans, led by manager Rep. Joe L. Barton, are hoping to start a winning streak after last year breaking the Democrats’ seven-game stretch. But the Democrats, led by manager Rep. Mike Doyle, say they’re determined to bring a W back. After the 2016 election, a few freshman have joined the game, while both teams have players who are returning after almost a decade of playing. Watch for more from the players themselves.