Bobby Bonilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bobby Bonilla |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Bonilla playing for the Pirates circa 1988
|
|||
| Third baseman / Right fielder | |||
| Born: February 23, 1963 The Bronx, New York, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| 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 | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Roberto "Bobby" Martin Antonio Bonilla (born 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 the top players in MLB during the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was known for his powerful hitting. He played a big part in the successful Pittsburgh Pirates team during that time. Bonilla had great stats in home runs, RBIs, and doubles. He was chosen for the All-Star team four times and won three Silver Slugger Awards. He was also a strong candidate for the National League's Most Valuable Player award.
In 1991, Bonilla signed with the New York Mets. He became the highest-paid player in the league at that time. However, he found it hard to meet the high expectations with the Mets. He later played for the Baltimore Orioles and helped them reach the American League Championship Series in 1996. He also earned two more All-Star appearances. Bonilla 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 let him go, they made a special deal. The Mets agreed to pay him $1.19 million every July 1st from 2011 until 2035. This date is now famously known as "Bobby Bonilla Day" among Mets fans. He also gets $500,000 from the Orioles each year from 2004 to 2028 due to a similar agreement. Bonilla retired at the end of the 2001 season. Over his 16 years in baseball, he had a .279 batting average. He also had 2,010 hits, 287 home runs, and 1,173 RBIs.
Contents
Playing Baseball
Bonilla played baseball at Herbert H. Lehman High School in the Bronx. He graduated in 1981. He was not picked in the 1981 Major League Baseball draft. He then studied computer science for a semester at New York Institute of Technology. A scout named Syd Thrift saw him at a baseball camp in Europe and signed him for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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 then picked him in the Rule 5 draft. Bonilla made his major league debut with the White Sox in 1986. Later that year, the Pirates got him back in a trade.
Time with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Bonilla became the Pirates' main third baseman in 1987. After making many errors, his manager, Jim Leyland, moved him to right field. There, he played alongside stars like Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke. This strong outfield helped the Pirates win three straight National League East Division titles from 1990 to 1992.
From 1986 to 1991, Bonilla had a .284 batting average. He hit 114 home runs and had 500 runs batted in (RBIs). He led the league in extra base hits in 1990 and in doubles in 1991. He finished high in the voting for the National League MVP award in those years. Bonilla also won three Silver Slugger Awards and was an All-Star for four years in a row.
First Time with the New York Mets
_(cropped).jpg)
On December 2, 1991, Bonilla signed a five-year contract worth $29 million with the New York Mets. 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 dropped a bit. He finished with a .278 batting average and 91 home runs during his time with the Mets. Even so, Bonilla played in two more All-Star Games (1993 and 1995). He also hit a career-high 34 home runs in 1993.
Bonilla's time with the Mets was sometimes difficult with the New York baseball reporters. He once called the press box during a game to complain about an error he was given.
Playing for Other Teams
In July 1995, Bonilla was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He helped the Orioles reach the 1996 American League Championship Series. After the 1996 season, Bonilla signed with the Florida Marlins. He joined his old manager, Jim Leyland, and helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series.
In May 1998, the Marlins traded Bonilla to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played the rest of the 1998 season with the Dodgers.
Return to the Mets and "Bobby Bonilla Day"
In November 1998, the Mets got Bonilla back from the Dodgers. His play was not as good as expected, and he had disagreements with manager Bobby Valentine. His time in New York ended with an incident during a playoff game in 1999. While his team was losing, Bonilla was in the clubhouse playing cards.
After his 1999 season, the Mets let Bonilla go, but they still owed him $5.9 million. Bonilla and his agent made a deal. Bonilla would wait ten years for his money. Then, the Mets would pay him about $1.19 million every July 1st, starting in 2011 and ending in 2035. This adds up to a total of $29.8 million. Many fans call these payments "Bobby Bonilla Day." The Mets owner agreed to this because he thought his own investments would earn enough money to cover these payments easily. Bonilla also has another payment plan with the Mets and Baltimore Orioles. This plan 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 since 1997, but only hit five home runs.
In 2001, he signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. Injuries limited his playing time. He played his last game on October 7, 2001. He retired after the season, saying injuries and less playing time were the reasons.
Overall, Bonilla finished his career with one World Series championship. He was a six-time All-Star. He had 2,010 hits, 287 home runs, and 1,173 runs batted in. His career batting average was .279.
Personal Life
Bobby Bonilla married Migdalia, also known as Millie, in the late 1980s. They met in high school. They had two children together before they divorced in 2009.
Helping Others
In February 1992, Bonilla and his wife Millie started a fund for public schools. They put $35,000 into it. The fund helps schools that Bonilla and his wife attended. It gives $500 for every run Bonilla batted in for the Mets. Bonilla has also taken part in charity golf tournaments.
See also
- 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
