Bobby Bonilla appeared to be embracing the hype around the unofficial day named in his honor as the New York Mets pay the next installment of his deferred contract.
Another Bobby Bonilla pay day has come for the New York Mets.
The team made its $1.19 million payment to the former outfielder on Monday as part of a deferred payment plan which started in 2011. He signed a five-year contract worth about $29 million, but the deferred salary agreement began about 20 years later and will continue until 2035.
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Bonilla was eventually traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1995 and later won a World Series with the then-Florida Marlins in 1997. He had another stint with the Mets in 1999 and last played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2001.
Since then, July 1 has become a reminder of the Mets’ bizarre deal. Bonilla even appeared in a Mint Mobile commercial to poke fun at the deal. Now, New York fans celebrate it.
"It’s kind of become like my birthday so to speak, right? It’s become that big," he told the New York Post. "I don’t think people know the exact date of my birthday, but they certainly know when this deferred comp comes in, so it’s pretty cool in that respect."
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As far as an official day, Bonilla told the New York Post that team owner Steve Cohen had reached out. However, the former slugger said he is not thinking about anything until his child is off to college.
Bonilla, 61, is long out of the league but is still making more money than one of the most popular quarterbacks on one of the most popular NFL teams.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted that Bonilla is set to make more money than Brock Purdy’s base salary. The San Francisco 49ers star is set to make $985,000.
However, that salary may be his last as he enters his third season.
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