Bobby Bonilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bobby Bonilla |
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Bonilla playing for the Pirates circa 1988
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| Third baseman / Right fielder | |||
| Born: February 23, 1963 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1986, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 7, 2001, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .279 | ||
| Hits | 2,010 | ||
| Home runs | 287 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,173 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Roberto Martin Antonio Bonilla, born on February 23, 1963, is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a third baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1986 to 2001.
Bonilla was one of MLB's top players in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was known for his powerful hitting. He played a key role for the Pittsburgh Pirates during their successful years.
With the Pirates, Bonilla had impressive stats in home runs, RBIs, and doubles. He was chosen for the All-Star team four times. He also won three Silver Slugger Awards. In 1990, he led the league in extra base hits. In 1991, he led in doubles.
In 1991, Bonilla signed with the New York Mets. He became the highest-paid player in the league at that time. Later, he played for the Baltimore Orioles and helped them reach the American League Championship Series in 1996. He earned two more All-Star appearances. He also helped the Florida Marlins win the 1997 World Series.
After playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, he returned to the New York Mets in 1999. When the Mets wanted to release him, they made a special agreement. The Mets agreed to pay him $1.19 million every July 1 from 2011 through 2035. This day is now known as "Bobby Bonilla Day" by Mets fans. He also receives $500,000 from the Orioles each year from 2004 to 2028 due to another agreement.
Bonilla played two more seasons, one with the Atlanta Braves and one with the St. Louis Cardinals. He retired at the end of the 2001 season. Over his 16 years in baseball, Bonilla had a .279 batting average. He also had 2,010 hits, 287 home runs, and 1,173 RBIs.
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Bobby Bonilla's Baseball Journey
Bonilla played baseball at Herbert H. Lehman High School in the Bronx. He graduated in 1981. He was not chosen in the 1981 MLB draft. He then studied computer science for a semester.
A scout named Syd Thrift saw him at a baseball camp in Europe. The Pittsburgh Pirates then signed him. His journey through the Pirates' minor league teams was paused in 1985. He broke his right leg in a collision with a teammate.
The Chicago White Sox later picked him up in a special draft. Bonilla made his major league debut with the White Sox in 1986. The Pirates' general manager, Syd Thrift, traded to get Bonilla back later that year.
Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Bonilla became the Pirates' starting third baseman in 1987. After making many errors, his manager, Jim Leyland, moved him to right field. There, he played alongside stars Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke. This strong team helped the Pirates win their division three years in a row.
From 1986 to 1991, Bonilla had a .284 batting average. He had 868 hits, 191 doubles, 114 home runs, and 500 RBIs. He led the league in extra base hits in 1990. He also led in doubles in 1991. During these years, he was a top candidate for the National League MVP award. Bonilla also won three Silver Slugger Awards. He was an All-Star four years in a row.
Time with the New York Mets
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On December 2, 1991, Bonilla signed a five-year contract with the New York Mets. This contract was worth $29 million. The $6.1 million he earned in 1992 was a record for a single season. He became the highest-paid player in the National League from 1992 to 1994.
However, his hitting numbers were not as high with the Mets. He finished with a .278 batting average. He hit 91 home runs and had 277 RBIs in his three and a half years there. Despite this, Bonilla played in two more All-Star Games (1993 and 1995). He hit a career-high 34 home runs in 1993.
Bonilla's time with the Mets was sometimes difficult. He had a challenging relationship with the New York media.
Playing for the Baltimore Orioles
On July 28, 1995, the Baltimore Orioles traded for Bonilla from the Mets. He helped the Orioles reach the 1996 American League Championship Series.
Winning with the Florida Marlins
After the 1996 season, Bonilla became a free agent. He signed with the Florida Marlins. He reunited with his former manager, Jim Leyland. Bonilla helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series. He played for the Marlins again in 1998. He had a .278 batting average in 28 games.
Short Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers
On May 14, 1998, the Marlins traded Bonilla to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played the rest of the 1998 season with the Dodgers. He batted .237, with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
Second Time with the New York Mets
In November 1998, the Mets traded to get Bonilla back from the Dodgers. His performance was not as good as expected. He also had disagreements with manager Bobby Valentine. His time in New York ended after an incident during a playoff game in 1999.
After his 1999 season, the Mets released Bonilla. They still owed him $5.9 million. Bonilla and his agent made a deal with the Mets. Bonilla would wait ten years for his payment. Then, the Mets would pay him about $1.19 million every July 1, from 2011 to 2035. This adds up to $29.8 million. This day is famously called "Bobby Bonilla Day."
Bonilla also has another agreement with the Mets and the Baltimore Orioles. This started in 2004 and pays him $500,000 a year for 25 years.
Final Seasons
Bonilla signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2000. He played 114 games for them. He had his highest batting average (.255) since 1997. However, he only hit five home runs.
In 2001, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Injuries limited his playing time. He played his final game on October 7, 2001. He finished that season with a .213 average. He had 37 hits, five home runs, and 21 RBIs. He retired after the season due to injuries.
Overall, Bonilla finished his career with one championship. He was a six-time All-Star. He had 2,010 hits, 287 home runs, and 1,173 RBIs. His career batting average was .279.
Bobby Bonilla's Life Outside Baseball
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Bonilla married Migdalia, also known as Millie, in 1986. They met at Herbert Lehman High School. They had two children together. They divorced in 2009.
Helping Others
In February 1992, Bonilla and his wife Millie started a fund. It was called the Bobby and Millie Bonilla Public School Fund. They started it with $35,000. The fund helps schools that Bonilla and his wife attended. It gives $500 for every run he batted in for the Mets. Bonilla also took part in the Players Trust All-Star Golf Tournament in 2014. This event was organized by Dave Winfield and Joe Mauer.
More About Baseball
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
