In reality, baseball can be a hot dirty game with harsh physical contact. Players slide into second base with the deliberate intention of interfering with the second baseman and breaking up a double play. At a close play at home plate, a runner will charge shoulder-first into the catcher hoping to knock the ball from the catcher's grasp. National politics is not for the faint-hearted. Politics is hardball.
Politicians ruthlessly punish their enemies and reward their friends.
This is not necessarily a sign of malevolence. Effective governance requires that political opponents realize that there is a price to be paid for opposition and friends should believe support will be rewarded. If a member of Congress opposes a policy initiative from the President, that member ought not expect the President to campaign on his or her behalf. Trading favors is part of doing business in a democracy. Even in hardball politics, however, there are some rules that ought not be violated.