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.
In no way, shape or form would this be remotely considered a good deal for any business. Unless they just so happened to know the world was going to end before they hit the $6 million mark or something.
This is often argued as one of, if not the worst baseball contract in history. No matter how much baseball nerds love to argue about bad contracts, almost every argument can be summed up with “at least it’s not the Bonilla deal. LOL Mets.”
Ryan Howard’s contract? At least it’s not Bobby Bonilla’s. Alex Rodriguez’s contract? Not Bonilla’s. The Braves owing Dan Uggla $13 million to not play for them? At least it’s one year, and not twenty-five; and at least he’s active.
But that’s the New York Mets for you, widely known as one of the most business-stupid franchises in history.
Raise your glass today for good ‘ol Bobby-Bo, who is getting paid today and every July 1st until the end of time; not because he deserved it, because he was a good worker and teammate, but because he was just obnoxious enough to not, and had the agents with the know-how to exploit that animosity and desperation into a sweet lucrative deal that basically sets him up for the rest of his life.
LOL Mets.
