This past Saturday was one of my favorite holidays every year- Bobby Bonilla Day. Every July 1st, Bobby Bonilla receives a $1,193,248.20, from 2011 to 2035 from the New York Mets. In January of 2000, the New York Mets released Bonilla (they lost in the World Series that year, so I guess it wasn't a bad "on field" move), and his agent worked out a deal that turned his $5.9 million base salary into $29.8 million over that time span. Bonilla is also receiving another $12.5 million in deferred payments from a different contract with the Mets, that was traded to the Orioles as well. Check the exact details out here.
Now, I love this for two main reasons- this is one of the great works of a sports agent in sports history, and it happened to the Mets, whom I loathe. Bonilla loves it because he is still being paid better than almost all first three year ballplayers, and many bench players, years after he went into retirement. Bonilla is also a resident of Florida now, meaning he's collecting this money free of state income tax. Not bad for a player who's past a decade out of the game.
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