Mets Actually Paying Bobby Bonilla More Than All-Stars Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso This Season
By Jared Kish
The calendar has turned to July, and just like every July 1, the New York Mets ink a check for Bobby Bonilla worth almost $1.2 million. Happy Bobby Bonilla Day, Mets fans!
Though the Bonilla agreement is one of the most outrageous sporting contracts in history, the Mets are paying the former MLB slugger more than their two All-Stars Jeff McNeil and Pete Alonso.
From @SportsTaxMan $1,122,714= total amount #Mets will pay All Stars Jeff McNeil & Pete Alonso this season.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 1, 2019
$1,193,248 = amount #Mets will pay Bobby Bonilla this season. #MLB
The Mets owe McNeil and Alonso $1,122,714 combined this season, while they owe Bonilla $1,193,248.
When the Mets bought out Bonilla's $5.9 million contract they decided to pay it off in increments starting back in 2011. The payments will go through 2035 when Bonilla is 72. Bonilla has not played a game for New York since 1999.
Happy Bobby Bonilla Day. Bonilla receives his 9th payment of $1,119,248.20 today from the Mets. He will receive 16 more annually on July 1, thru 2035. The 25 payments were to settle a $5.9M debt in 2000.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 1, 2019
Both McNeil and Alonso are having tremendous years and have been bright spots for what has been a disappointing season for the Metropolitans, which makes this whole ordeal even more pathetic.
Imagine being one of these young stars on the Mets carrying this downtrodden team only to know that you're being paid less than a guy that retired after the 2001 season.