Did you know that despite the fact that he has not played a game of professional baseball since October 7, 2001, Bobby Bonilla will make $1.2* million dollars a year between the years of 2011-2035, courtesy of the New York Mets? The lump sum is paid out every July 1st, and will continue on until he is 73 years old; given the rock ‘n roll lifestyle of baseball players, old and current, there’s even question to if he’ll even be alive that long.
The thing is, the story behind such a lucrative deal isn’t one of reward, gratitude or positivity, it’s entirely one of animosity and opportunism.
Basically in 2000, the Mets owed Bobby Bonilla $5.9 million dollars. However, Bonilla was constantly at odds and clashed with team management. Ultimately, Bonilla’s agents came up with a proposal that the Mets would be free to release Bonilla, not pay him the $5.9 million he was owed presently, but to defer payment into the 25-year payment plan that would start ten years later, in 2011.
Long story short, the Mets deferred $5.9 million in 2000, into owing ~$30 million dollars between the years of 2011-2035.
