Bobby Bonilla / Getty Images
Getty Images

After 10 years, Bobby Bonilla's mock holiday has finally been acknowledged by the fans and the team as management pays Bonilla his whopping annual paycheck of $1,193,28.20.

Just What is Bobby Bonilla's Day?

Bobby Bonilla was one of the Mets MVPs during the time he played. He last played for the team way back in 1999. It's now on its 10th anniversary and has just now been embraced and acknowledged by the team. Yes, a decade is enough for any man to acknowledge something, apparently based on the Mets.

The reason for the big annual payday of $1,193,28.20 was a time when the Mets management invested heavily in a Bernie Madoff account promising double-digit returns. With that type of promise, they were waiting for the cash to come in. However, it didn't.

Now because of how baseball's salary structure is created, Bonilla's annual fat paycheck is even more than what the current American League MVP candidate and other potential 2021 All-Stars salaries make in any given year.

How Did This Happen?

It's simple, Bonilla chose to get paid by deferred money from the MLB. Back in early 2000, the Mets came to terms to buy the remaining $5.9 million out on Bonilla's contract. Instead of paying the lump sum, the Mets chose to make annual payments instead for the next 25 years starting on July 1, 2011, including an 8%interest rate.

Hence Bonilla still has another 11 years to go, by that time, he will be 72 and will be paid almost $1.2 million dollars once a year--every July 1--until 2035. He isn't the only one getting deferred money contracts from previous employers in the MLB.

Notable individuals are Bret Saberhagen, who will receive $250,000 for 25 years at the same time with Bonilla and was the inspiration behind the deal struck with the latter.

Next would be Max Scherzer, who gets $105 million paid until 2028 from the Nationals; Manny Ramirez also gets $24.2 million from the Red Sox through 2026 and many more players.

Bonilla's Reacts to Bobby Bonilla Day

The former MLB player said that the new owner, Steve Cohen and the Mets, is doing something wonderful and added that Steve has reached out to him and that they both have a good relationship and is a "cool guy."

Bonilla said, "Strangers will stop me and say, 'Oh, my God, that's the greatest deal ever,'" and even when he's out traveling, he gets stopped by people and tells him that it's Bobby Bonilla Day tomorrow in which he replies "Indeed, it is!"

Cohen and the Mets prepared a promotion partnering with Airbnb wherein four fans can watch the Mets vs. Atlanta Braves in a VIP suite and then spend a night in two double beds. Besides, they have the permission to use the Mets' weight room and showers when they wake up in the morning, then finally have the honor of throwing the first pitch against the Braves.