It may not come as a surprise that Bobby Bonilla is enjoying July 1st. This is also known in the baseball world as "Bobby Bonilla Day".
For the 12th consecutive year, Bonilla received a deferral of approximately $ 1.19 million from Mets. And with the annual tradition of still 13 installments, a lot of bad publicity and cash remains.
"My text message explodes — much bigger than my birthday," Bonilla, now 59,told Action Network. "Today is a fun day. It always brings a smile to my face."
It makes sense for Bonilla to enjoy the day. After all, he is the main beneficiary. Bonilla argued that he was financially stable enough and he didn't need money, but he never approached Mets about receiving money at once and instead continued the tradition of the year. Was selected.
"I haven't even thought about it," Bonilla said.
So his fame lives on.
"It's really amazing that I'm probably more famous Six-time All-Star Bonilla said, "Today is a very popular day.
" ... wherever you go, "he was one of the greatest contracts in the sports world. I love what he did. "It brings a smile to my face. It's really cool.
Currently, Bonilla prefers to be unobtrusive, but it's simply not possible on July 1st. He told his 16-year-old son, an avid golfer, "I love being a dad." His son's trip to the tournament occupies most of Bonilla's summer, and so far Bonilla hasn't been able to visit Citi Field, but with former Mets PR director Jay Horowitz and owner Steve Cohen. I'm in touch.
And Bonilla may be the most notorious example. However, contract postponement has become an increasingly popular phenomenon. For example, this year was the first of seven deferred payments of $ 15 million that the Nationals would pay to the Mets' Ace Max Scherzer.
So when Bonilla thinks about his legacy, he wants more players to follow in his footsteps.
"I want to meet more players than just baseball, so think about tomorrow," Bonilla said. "I think it's important. I don't think I've spent enough time thinking about tomorrow .... It's a very wise price to pay to make sure you're financially healthy when you leave the game. "
