Bobby Bonilla Day, ex atlanta braves road jersey plained: Why does the former Mets star get paid every July 1?
July 1, 2022
For so many, July 1 represents the true start of the heart of summer. For Bobby Bonilla, it represents a massive payday.
Bonilla hasn't played an MLB game in more than 20 years. But he's still on the New York Mets' payroll. AnNolan Arenado d July 1 is the day Bonilla receives his annual compensation from the Mets.
The five-year, $29 million deal Bonilla inked with the Mets in 1991 is widely considered one of the worst contracts in MLB history from a team perspective. So much so that New York opted to buy out Bonilla's contract in 2000.
So how much does the 59-year-old get paid on "Bobby BonilFrancisco Lindor la Day?" And how much longer will the Mets be paying him? Sporting News has you covered:
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Why are the Mets still paying Bobby Bonilla?
Financial incompetence is the simple answer. Bonilla signed a five-year, $29 million deal with New York in 1991 and proceeded to be fairly productive in his first three-and-a-half years in Queens, hitting 73 home runs and posting a 128 OPS+ from 1992-1994.
The Mets traded Bonilla to the Orioles midway through the 1995 season, setting off a four-year spell where Bonilla would play for four different teams.
He returned to the Mets in 1999 but was released in 2000. New York still was on the hook for $5.9 million. Mets ownership, locked into investment partnerships with Bernie Madoff, believed it more financially viable to defer payment for Bonilla's contract, spreading it across 25 years (2011-2035) with eight percent interest.
How much are the Mets paying Bobby Bonilla?
Like clockwork, Bonilla receives $1,193,248.20 on July 1. It tends to put a smile on his face.
“My text messages blow up,” Bonilla told Action Network's Darren Rovell. “It’s way bigger than my birthday. And it’s a fun day because it always brings a smile to my face. I was happy that I put the money away.”
That initial $5.9 million fee now sits at $29.8 million. It's easy atlanta braves jersey harris to see why Bonilla is smiling.
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How much longer do th atlanta braves jersey youth girls e Mets hav atlanta braves alternate jersey e to pay Bobby Bonilla?
The terms of Bonilla's payment plan ensure that Bonilla will keep getting his $1.19 million-plus every July 1 until 2035. He'll be 72 years old Gerrit Cole Yankees Jerseys by then, still r Mike Trout Angels Jerseys olling in the Mets' riches.
Bonilla had a great career, all things considered. He won three Silver Sluggers and finished second in NL MVP voting to Pirates teammate Barry Bonds in 1990. Yet for all he accomplished on the field, the Bronx native's career has been largely defined by the money he's earned off it.
That doesn't bother Bonilla, though. Signing with the Mets gave him a chance to "see [his] dad every home game.”
The money doesn't hurt, either.
“People say, ‘Oh, that’s Bobby Bo,'” Bonilla told Rovell. atlanta braves cool base jersey “‘Oh my goodness. He is part of one of the greatest contracts in sports. I love what he did.’ And that kind of brings a smile to my face.”