The News Life

“Sit Back and Earn $30 Million”: The Historic Scam That Made the Mets Pay Retired Players Until 2035!.Yen

July 2, 2025 by mrs a

Every July 1, millions of baseball fans across the country recall a name that had been long forgotten on the field: Bobby Bonilla. Despite hanging up his gloves in 2001, Bonilla still receives $1,193,248 a year from his former team the New York Mets — a financial “legacy” that no one could have imagined when the deal was signed in 1999.

25 JUL 1993: NEW YORK METS THIRD BASEMAN BOBBY BONILLA WATCHES A PREVIOUS HIT DURING THE METS VERSUS LOS ANGELES DODGERS GAME AT DODGER STADIUM IN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA. MANDATORY CREDIT: STEPHEN DUNN/ALLSPORT

In 1999, the Mets wanted to liquidate Bobby Bonilla’s remaining $5.9 million contract. Instead of paying it outright, the team agreed to delay the payment and instead committed to paying it in installments starting in 2011, plus 8% interest each year. The result: The Mets will spend nearly $30 million over 25 years, from 2011 to 2035.

Sound like a “disaster” deal? Maybe. But for fans and the media, it was a historic hit. “Bobby Bonilla Day” has become an unofficial holiday—a place of humor, regret, and admiration.

“It’s hard to believe that Bobby Bonilla makes nearly $1.2 million a year after being out of the game for nearly a quarter of a century.”

Bonilla isn’t the only one enjoying a post-career “baseball pension.” The Mets have also been paying Bret Saberhagen $250,000 a year since 2004. Meanwhile, the retired Baltimore Orioles’ Chris Davis has nearly $60 million in deferred compensation that will be paid out through 2037.

Bobby Bonilla Day: New York Mets pay him $1.19M every July 1 - ESPN

Such cumulative salaries are becoming a “lesson” for teams facing modern megacontracts.

“Bobby Bonilla Day” has become more than a joke, it has become a cultural icon of sports. Current Mets owner Steve Cohen has even proposed holding an annual event to commemorate “the happiest day of the summer.”

“Rather than shying away from it, we embrace and celebrate Bonilla Day — as part of our team’s history,” a Mets spokesperson said.

As stars like Shohei Ohtani sign multimillion-dollar contracts with deferral clauses, Bonilla’s story reminds us that money is always worth something — especially when you put it off for decades.

Bobby Bonilla Day hits 15th year with Mets still on hook for $1.19 million

Bobby Bonilla has long since retired from the game, but every year, with just one signature more than two decades ago, he still makes headlines. It may have been a “financial mistake” for the Mets, but for the rest of baseball, it was the greatest contract ever signed by a former player.

And then… next year, on July 1, we’ll be saying the familiar words: “Happy Bobby Bonilla Day!”

 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • SAD BUT BEAUTIFUL: RED SOX LEGEND DAVID ORTIZ AND HIS PROMISE TO HIS LATE FATHER: Carrying His Father’s Old Wedding Ring in His Pocket Every Game, Ortiz Reveals the HEARTFELT TRUTH Behind Every Home Run “So Dad Can See Me From Heaven” – The Story That Has MLB and Boston Fans in Tears.nh1
  • CHICAGO CUBS BEAT KANSAS CITY ROYALS 6-0! Wrigley Field erupts on an unforgettable night – Cubs lineup is becoming MLB’s new “nightmare”!Y1
  • “I Want to Stay”: Ryan Helsley and a Cardinals Man’s Plea Amid Trade Storm.Y1
  • From Court to Catwalk: How Angel Reese Became Fashion Royalty.P1
  • GOOD NEWS: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS “DESTROY” ATLANTA WITH A 9-0 ROAD SHUTOUT: An UNBELIEVABLE Bounce-Back Performance, TOTAL OFFENSIVE DOMINANCE, Record-Breaking Stats That Have MLB Fans Buzzing and Ignite NEW Hope in the 2025 Playoff Chase!.nh1

Recent Comments

  1. A WordPress Commenter on Hello world!

Copyright © 2025 · Paradise on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in