MLB Fans Love Tromp 45 Jersey, 'Seinfeld' Still Pays Paul O'Neill, 'Moneyball' Is The Sport's Best Movie
We’re back with Week 2 of Touch ‘Em All!
I mentioned in last week’s issue that I’m here to cover all the zany, wacky, and unusual stories that come out of the MLB. You might be thinking that while last week’s edition was great (it’s okay, I know you were thinking it), there’s no shot that there’s enough out of the ordinary news to make this week’s column just as good.
Well, let me tell you.
The old ball game delivered once again, and we’ve got a few stories that are equal parts unexpected and eccentric. Plus, you’ll hear my pitch (pun intended) on why you should work watching "Moneyball" into your weekend plans.
So without further ado, let’s touch ‘em all and see what delightfully different baseball news occurred this week.
Paul O'Neill Still Gets Money For His Appearance On ‘Seinfeld’
If you grew up during the 1990’s (or had parents who exposed you to the finest parts of that decade’s culture) you’ll recall the show "Seinfeld." In the latter seasons of the show, there’s an episode called "The Wink," in which Kramer tells real-life New York Yankees star Paul O’Neill to hit two home runs for a kid in a hospital in exchange for a birthday card.
That’s a rudimentary explanation, but if you want a better one, just watch Season 7, Episode 4 (which aired in 1995).
During the Yankees game against the Astros on Thursday night, New York had O’Neill on for a portion of the YES broadcast. At one point in the conversation, the five-time World Series champion mentioned that he still gets a residual check from the show’s creators every time that "The Wink" airs.
So, naturally, David Cone asked O’Neill how much he gets per check.
"You know what they are? They’re like 57 bucks."O’Neill said. "It’s not bigtime. "A good reminder, though, that you were on the show. It’s kinda cool."
Those aren’t exactly Bobby Bonilla numbers, and it pales in comparison to what Shohei Ohtani will get once he’s done playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But it is still a nice source of passive income. After all, we’re 29 years past when this episode was released, and the guy gets 57 bucks for doing nothing.
That’s a pretty good return on investment!
Chadwick Tromp Is The Most Popular Backup Catcher Ever
Baseball history is filled with guys who have hysterically unusual names - Coco Crisp, Catfish Hunter, Urban Shocker, etc.
All of these guys have retired, so we unfortunately cannot hope to see them grace the diamond on any given night.
But there’s one man whose name (and jersey number) makes him one of the funniest running jokes in the game today.
The Atlanta Braves have a backup catcher - just like every other team in baseball. But only the Braves can claim to have a reserve backstop who generates as much buzz as Arubian-born Chadwick Tromp.
Before I move on, just take a moment to say that out loud, because it's fun to say. But the sound of his name isn’t what’s the most hilarious. By now, you’ve probably realized that his name sounds very similar to a certain political figure that may or may not have been president at one point.
(Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)
Tromp is just one vowel swap away from having the same name as Donald Trump. But it gets even better.
Not only is the name incredibly similar, Tromp wears number 45 for the Braves.
That’s pretty genius.
Apparently, Atlanta gave him that number on purpose before the season started. They said they didn’t do it on purpose, but I find that to be highly unlikely. You don't think someone in the Braves organization wanted to have a little fun?
This move has naturally prompted a lot of fans to incessantly shout "Tromp 45" at ball games whenever he steps up to the plate. Apparently, Tromp didn’t get the joke at first, since he doesn’t pay attention to American politics.
"They always yell ‘Tromp 45,’ but I never put two and two together," Tromp said last week. "… I thought it was just, ‘Chadwick Tromp, number 45.’"
But the fans sure as heck got the message. When news originally broke of this development, it sparked a ton of reaction online.
And of course, anytime he does something good in a game, fans go crazy and bust out some incredible presidential puns.
Fortunately for the fans, Tromp doesn’t mind the jokes and will continue to wear this jersey for as long as he remains in the big leagues.
"I mean, I like the number," Tromp said. "It’s a good number. I like 45."
So do we, Tromp. Especially when it’s on your jersey.
You Have To Watch Moneyball Sometime This Weekend
There’s been a lot of baseball-themed movies made throughout the ages, and with good reason. Not only is it a cultural touchstone for America, it’s the best sport on the planet.
Films like "Bull Durham," "42," "A League Of Their Own," and dozens of others have told stories (real and fictional) about how a simple game can touch countless fans, captivate imaginations, and even help improve the conscience of our society.
But no baseball movie compares to my personal favorite, the 2011 movie "Moneyball."
I get it, it's not as sentimental as "Field of Dreams," or as funny as "Fever Pitch." But if you want to talk about a (true) story that's going to leave you feeling all sorts of good things, this is the movie to watch.
Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill combine to play the roles of Oakland A's GM Billy Bean and Peter Brand, respectively. They have a problem; they want to build a winning team, but don't have the money to do it, and their team is in shambles.
So they came up with a way to sign forgotten players to cheap contracts. And wouldn't you know, it works.
Despite being slandered and ridiculed by everyone in the organization, the A's end up catching fire and winning a then AL-record 20 straight games. If you don't feel inspired by the perseverance, dedication to excellence, and friendship these guys display, you need to check your pulse.
Complete with a soundtrack that pulls at your heart strings, Moneyball leaves you asking the same question Beane asks at the end of the film: "How can you not be romantic about baseball?"
If you’ve got time over your weekend and haven’t seen it, I would highly recommend you spend some time in your evening agenda to watch it. And even if you have seen it, make time anyway. Watching the best baseball film ever made is never a waste of time.
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That’s it for this week. As always, if you see any interesting stories or have any comments about today’s column, feel free to email me at john.simmons@outkick.com, and follow me on X at @JohnSimmonsJr7. Let me know if I knocked it out of the park with my coverage, or if it was as bad as an Angel Hernandez strike zone.