Latest news with #BobbyBonilla
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Today in White Sox History: July 23
Although he was just two years into pro ball and already 29 years old, the White Sox took notice of the outstanding season Jim Rivera was having for the Seattle Rainers of the Pacific Coast League (he would win the PCL batting title and MVP, slashing .352/.420/.553 with 20 homers and 33 steals) and signed him. He would not debut with the White Sox until 1952, but would play in 10 seasons on the South Side, and more than 1,000 games, totaling 6.0 WAR. Manager Al Lopez had an emergency appendectomy, and would miss 36 games. Les Moss took over while Lopez was sidelined. GM Ken Harrelson sent Bobby Bonilla back to the Pirates for pitcher José DeLeón, in an oft-criticized deal that rarely presents the entire picture. Bonilla was selected from Pittsburgh by the Sox in the major league draft in December 1985, and was likely a player the Pirates desperately wanted back. He showed flashes of brilliance in his half season on the South Side, but just 0.5 WAR in his half-season on the South Side. He would go on to have four brilliant seasons with the Pirates, putting up 17.9 WAR before cashing in on a famous/infamous free-agent contract with the New York Mets that pays him to this day. DeLeón, for his part, was a productive starter on the South Side, putting up 3.7 WAR over a season and a third before GM Larry Himes flipped him to the St. Louis Cardinals in a brilliant deal netting center fielder Lance Johnson and pitcher Ricky Horton. Johnson was a gem for the White Sox, netting the club 21.3 WAR over six-plus seasons roaming center field. Without the Bonilla trade, there is no One Dog. Ironically, both players — Bonilla and Johnson — ended their careers with 30.2 WAR. All-time great White Sox pitcher Billy Pierce was honored with a statue at Sox Park, becoming the sixth White Sox legend so honored. Beyond being a wonderful person and lifetime ambassador (both unofficially, and officially) for the team, he was an amazing pitcher, as good as anyone in baseball in the 1950s. Pierce ranks first all-time in White Sox strikeouts (1,796), third in shutouts (35), fourth in wins (186) and innings (2,931), third in starts (391) and fifth in games pitched (456), tied for fifth in complete games (183), sixth in pitching WAR (49.2) and second among southpaws, 10th in adjusted ERA+ (123), 20th in hits per nine innings (8.116), tied for 25th in FIP (3.42) and 27th in ERA (3.19). Pierce received embarrassingly scant support when up for the Hall of Fame in the early 1970s, but there is hope that a Veterans Committee will right that wrong in the coming years. It had only happened 17 times before, and on this date, Mark Buehrle became the 18th pitcher to throw a perfect game, when he shut down Tampa, 5-0. It was only the second no-hitter thrown at the new Sox Park — both thrown by Buehrle. The lefthander was helped in the top of the ninth inning when Dewayne Wise made the catch of his career, leaping above the wall in left-center to snare a ball hit by Gabe Kapler. On the way down Wise started to lose the ball, then snatched it out of the air with his other hand as he tumbled to the ground. Wise had been inserted for the ninth as a defensive replacement, so this play — among the best in White Sox and baseball history — was his first action in the game. Buehrle completed the perfect game in two hours and three minutes — the exact same amount of time as his no-hitter in 2007. He became only the fourth pitcher to ever throw a perfect game and a no-hitter (April 18, 2007), joining Cy Young, Sandy Koufax and Randy Johnson. He also joined Charlie Robertson as White Sox who have pitched a perfect game. Afterward, Buehrle got a call from President Barack Obama, a huge White Sox fan. It was certainly a strange and bizarre situation for the Sox. Chris Sale, arguably the best pitcher in the American League and one of the best in baseball, went on a pregame rampage and was scratched from his scheduled start against the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field. Sale was upset that he had to wear a 1976 throwback jersey as part of a promotion for the game. Sale thought it was uncomfortable. With the heat index more than 100°, wearing a dark blue/black jersey probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, either. Sale decided to take matters into his own hands: During batting practice, he destroyed most of the game jerseys the team was supposed to wear by slashing them with a knife. He also said publicly the White Sox were more concerned with public relations and uniforms than winning games. The White Sox, flirting at .500 at the time and just 3 1⁄2 games out of second place in the AL Central, was forced to start Matt Albers, who went two innings, giving up one run. The bullpen game ended in a 4-3 triumph: Adam Eaton, down to his last strike on a full count, lined a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth to score Avisaíl García, who led off the inning with a single and stolen base. Sale was suspended for five games for the incident, and was traded to Boston for a package headlined by Michael Kopech and Yoán Moncada after the season. More from Gamethread: White Sox at Cleveland Carlos Rodón No-Hits His Way to Redemption White Sox crushed by Red Sox, 11-4 Meet the Players: Nello Rubio Meet the Players: Hannah LaMotta South Side Sox Reacts: In Defense of the Defense Six Pack of Stats: Red Sox 11, White Sox 4
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Andy Pages' solo home run (17)
Fact or Fiction: Player who retired in 2001 still gets $1M per year? You may have heard former baseball player Bobby Bonilla gets a million dollars a year from the New York Mets, even though he's been retired since 2001.
National Post
02-07-2025
- Business
- National Post
Ex-MLB star rakes in $1.19M annually despite not playing for 24 years
Article content He's not Canadian and he's not an NHL free agent, but it's safe to say that nobody looks forward to July 1 as much as this guy. Article content While the first day of July marks Canada Day and signals the start of free agency for NHLers hoping to score big paydays, it is also recognized by some as 'Bobby Bonilla Day.' Article content Article content Named for the 62-year-old former MLB star, it's safe to say there's at least one person who has the big day circled on his calendar. Article content That would be Bobby Bonilla. Article content That's because, every year on this day through to 2035, Bonilla collects a cheque for $1.193,248.20. Article content Not too shabby considering the New Yorker hasn't laced up his cleats since 2001. Article content The annual cash infusion comes courtesy of what is arguably the most infamous deferred payment setup in sports history. Article content Bonilla signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1980s and made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 1986. Article content He starred for teams including the Pirates, New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles, winning the 1997 World Series with the Florida Marlins. Bonilla was also a six-time All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award three times in his career. However, by 1999, he was on the decline in the middle of his second stint with the Mets, who ultimately decided to release him. Article content The stickler was that the Mets owed him $5.9 million to pay out the remainder of his contract. Article content That's when Bonilla's agent went to the Mets with an offer: They would agree to have the payment deferred for a decade with interest. Bonilla would get paid over $1.19 million per year, every July 1 from 2011 to 2035. Article content Article content While it meant the payout would balloon from $5.9 million to $29.8 million, the Mets agreed to the deal, in part because Mets owner Fred Wilpon was heavily invested with Bernie Madoff in his infamous Ponzi scheme at the time. Article content Wilpon believed that the 10% returns he was making on his investments with Madoff would outweigh the eight per cent interest he'd be required to pay to Bonilla on the $5.9 million, so he accepted the deal.
Toronto Sun
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Ex-MLB star rakes in $1.19M annually despite not playing for 24 years
Bobby Bonilla of the New York Mets is pictured in 1999. Photo by FILES / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS He's not Canadian and he's not an NHL free agent, but it's safe to say that nobody looks forward to July 1 as much as this guy. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account While the first day of July marks Canada Day and signals the start of free agency for NHLers hoping to score big paydays, it is also recognized by some as 'Bobby Bonilla Day.' Named for the 62-year-old former MLB star, it's safe to say there's at least one person who has the big day circled on his calendar. That would be Bobby Bonilla. That's because, every year on this day through to 2035, Bonilla collects a cheque for $1.193,248.20. Not too shabby considering the New Yorker hasn't laced up his cleats since 2001. The annual cash infusion comes courtesy of what is arguably the most infamous deferred payment setup in sports history. Bonilla signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1980s and made his MLB debut with the Chicago White Sox in 1986. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He starred for teams including the Pirates, New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles, winning the 1997 World Series with the Florida Marlins. Bonilla was also a six-time All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award three times in his career. However, by 1999, he was on the decline in the middle of his second stint with the Mets, who ultimately decided to release him. The stickler was that the Mets owed him $5.9 million to pay out the remainder of his contract. That's when Bonilla's agent went to the Mets with an offer: They would agree to have the payment deferred for a decade with interest. Bonilla would get paid over $1.19 million per year, every July 1 from 2011 to 2035. While it meant the payout would balloon from $5.9 million to $29.8 million, the Mets agreed to the deal, in part because Mets owner Fred Wilpon was heavily invested with Bernie Madoff in his infamous Ponzi scheme at the time. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Wilpon believed that the 10% returns he was making on his investments with Madoff would outweigh the eight per cent interest he'd be required to pay to Bonilla on the $5.9 million, so he accepted the deal. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. With that, each July 1, baseball fans celebrate the payout as an informal national holiday of sorts, complete with plenty of fun takes on social media. Bonilla isn't the only player receiving deferred money. Most notably, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is being paid $2 million per year over the length of his 10-year contract before getting paid $68 million per year from 2034 to 2043. Because a cheque for $1,193,248.20 each year is apparently not enough, Bonilla is also cashing in on another deferred contract. He gets paid another $500,000 from the Baltimore Orioles, having collected payment from the O's each year since 2004 and running until 2029. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Ontario Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs Celebrity Ontario
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Orioles Pay $9.16 Million to Retired MLB Star on Tuesday
Orioles Pay $9.16 Million to Retired MLB Star on Tuesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. By now, most MLB fans are familiar with "Bobby Bonilla Day." The former New York Mets star famously secured a deal that pays him over $1.19 million every July 1 through 2035, even though he hasn't played since 2001. So far, the Mets have paid him over $17 million, with another $10.7 million still to go. Advertisement But did you know July 1 is also a big payday for another retired player? Former Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis is also cashing in. According to Spotrac, "Former 1B Chris Davis secures a $9.16M payment today stemming from two deferral agreements throughout his 7 year, $161M 2016 contract with the #Orioles. That's not all. Davis is set to receive an additional $31.5 million in deferred payments through 2037, a staggering sum for a player long removed from action. Davis, now 39, last played in 2020 where he ended his career with 295 home runs and a .233 batting average. Before his major league debut, he was named Minor League Player of the Year in 2007. Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis (19). David Berding-Imagn Images His massive contract was largely based on his monster 2013 season, when he crushed 53 home runs and drove in 138 runs. That year, he finished third in American League MVP voting. Davis also had a big 2015 campaign, hitting 47 homers with 117 RBIs. Advertisement But with the power came plenty of strikeouts. Davis had back-to-back seasons with over 200 strikeouts and totaled more than 800 in a four-year span, highlighting his all-or-nothing approach at the plate. Related: Kevin Garnett Reacts to Bronny James News With Strong Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
