Bobby Bonilla
Encyclopedia
Roberto Martin Antonio "Bobby" Bonilla (icon, born February 23, 1963 in The Bronx
, New York
) is a former player in Major League Baseball
who played from 1986 to 2001. Known in his playing days as "Bobby Bo," Bonilla is of Puerto Rican
descent.
scout Syd Thrift
. His rise through the Pirates' farm system came to a halt during spring training in 1985 when he broke his right leg in a collision with teammate Bip Roberts
. The White Sox then acquired him through the Rule 5 Draft
. After making his major league debut with Chicago, Bonilla was regularly hazed by veteran players and Negro League Baseball
star Buck O'Neil
who put shaving cream in his shoes. Syd Thrift, then the Pirates' General Manager, reacquired the unhappy Bonilla in exchange for pitcher Jose DeLeon
. Bonilla also played from 1984 to 1988 with the Mayaguez Indians of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
in 1987, but after committing 67 errors over his next two seasons, manager Jim Leyland
moved him to right field. There he formed a formidable combination alongside stars Barry Bonds
and Andy Van Slyke
and helped propel the Pittsburgh Pirates
to two of their three straight NL East titles from 1990-1992. During a 1989 incident, Bonilla was reportedly reprimanded for his assault on clubhouse attendant Gabe Thomas. He later claimed he was only upset because Thomas was allegedly told by Bonilla to remove the mesh from the seating at Three Rivers so his family could keep their distance from other fans. His family never made the trip from D.C.
to a (then) very lucrative 5 year, $29 million contract ($ today). But without his fellow Pirate stars around him, his offensive production dropped. His stay in New York would also be marred by a number of incidents, such as threatening sportswriter Bob Klapisch
that he would "show him the Bronx" in response to his book on the 1992 Mets, The Worst Team Money Could Buy: The Collapse Of The New York Mets (ISBN 978-0803278226). On another occasion, he called the press box during a game to complain about an error that he was charged with.
to the Baltimore Orioles
for Damon Buford
and Alex Ochoa
.
After helping the Orioles to the American League Championship Series in 1996, he was once again granted free agency and signed with the Florida Marlins
. Reunited with his old manager, Jim Leyland
, he helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series
. He spent the 1998 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
in exchange for Mel Rojas
. Again, his level of play did not measure up to expectations and he had numerous clashes with manager Bobby Valentine
over lack of playing time. His tenure in New York culminated in an infamous incident during Game Six of the 1999 NLCS where the Mets were eliminated by the Braves in an eleven inning game while Bonilla reportedly sat in the clubhouse playing cards with teammate Rickey Henderson
.
placed Bonilla on unconditional waivers in 2000. He spent the 2000 season playing for the Atlanta Braves. The Mets agreed to pay out the remainder of Bonilla's contract by deferring the $5.9 million that he was due. The Mets will pay him 25 equal payments of $1,193,248.20 every July 1 from 2011 until 2035, assuming an annual interest rate of 8% during the period 2011-2035.
, but was released due to an injury and the success of his replacement, Albert Pujols
. He played his final game on October 7, 2001.
Overall, Bobby Bonilla was a six-time All-Star
, and had career statistics of 2010 hits, 287 home run
s, 1173 runs batted in
, and a career .279 batting average
. He is due to receive 1.2 million dollars annually for 25 years from his contract with the mets.
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) is a former player in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played from 1986 to 2001. Known in his playing days as "Bobby Bo," Bonilla is of Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
descent.
Playing career
Bonilla was signed out of high school by Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
scout Syd Thrift
Syd Thrift
Sydnor W. Thrift Jr. was an American scout and executive in Major League Baseball who served as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1985 to 1988, and the de facto general manager of the Baltimore Orioles from 1999 to 2002...
. His rise through the Pirates' farm system came to a halt during spring training in 1985 when he broke his right leg in a collision with teammate Bip Roberts
Bip Roberts
Leon Joseph "Bip" Roberts is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and outfielder who played from 1986 to 1998 for the San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Oakland Athletics.-Career:He was a speedy second baseman, largely associated...
. The White Sox then acquired him through the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. After making his major league debut with Chicago, Bonilla was regularly hazed by veteran players and Negro League Baseball
Negro league baseball
The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams predominantly made up of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relatively successful leagues beginning in...
star Buck O'Neil
Buck O'Neil
John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil was a first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. After his playing days, he worked as a scout, and became the first African American coach in Major League Baseball...
who put shaving cream in his shoes. Syd Thrift, then the Pirates' General Manager, reacquired the unhappy Bonilla in exchange for pitcher Jose DeLeon
Jose DeLeon
José DeLeón Chestaro is a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of thirteen seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Montreal Expos. He was the National League strikeout champion in 1989 with...
. Bonilla also played from 1984 to 1988 with the Mayaguez Indians of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Bonilla became the Pirates' starting third basemanThird baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
in 1987, but after committing 67 errors over his next two seasons, manager Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
moved him to right field. There he formed a formidable combination alongside stars Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
and Andy Van Slyke
Andy Van Slyke
Andrew James Van Slyke is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.-Career:...
and helped propel the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
to two of their three straight NL East titles from 1990-1992. During a 1989 incident, Bonilla was reportedly reprimanded for his assault on clubhouse attendant Gabe Thomas. He later claimed he was only upset because Thomas was allegedly told by Bonilla to remove the mesh from the seating at Three Rivers so his family could keep their distance from other fans. His family never made the trip from D.C.
New York Mets
In 1992, he was signed as a free agent by the New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
to a (then) very lucrative 5 year, $29 million contract ($ today). But without his fellow Pirate stars around him, his offensive production dropped. His stay in New York would also be marred by a number of incidents, such as threatening sportswriter Bob Klapisch
Bob Klapisch
Robert Salvador "Bob" Klapisch is a sportswriter for The Record and Fox Sports. He has previously written for The New York Post, ESPN, and New York Daily News, and has written five books about baseball...
that he would "show him the Bronx" in response to his book on the 1992 Mets, The Worst Team Money Could Buy: The Collapse Of The New York Mets (ISBN 978-0803278226). On another occasion, he called the press box during a game to complain about an error that he was charged with.
Orioles/Marlins/Dodgers
Finally, in 1995, Bonilla was traded by the Mets with a player to be named laterPlayer to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Damon Buford
Damon Buford
Damon Buford is a retired Major League Baseball player. Buford played between 1993 and 2001 for the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs.-College career:...
and Alex Ochoa
Alex Ochoa
Alex Ochoa is a former Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball outfielder. He is a Cuban American and is currently an assistant coach for the Boston Red Sox....
.
After helping the Orioles to the American League Championship Series in 1996, he was once again granted free agency and signed with the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
. Reunited with his old manager, Jim Leyland
Jim Leyland
James Richard "Jim" Leyland is a Major League Baseball manager, currently with the Detroit Tigers.He led the Florida Marlins to a World Series championship in 1997, and previously won three straight division titles with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
, he helped the Marlins win the 1997 World Series
1997 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 18, 1997 at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, FloridaThe first World Series game in the state of Florida, Game 1 featured a youngster and a veteran facing each other on the mound...
. He spent the 1998 season with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Back to the Mets
In 1999, the New York Mets reacquired Bonilla from the Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in exchange for Mel Rojas
Mel Rojas
Melquiades Rojas Medrano was a pitcher with a 10 year career from 1990 to 1999. He played for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League and the Detroit Tigers of the American League.His best season was in 1992, when he posted a 7-1 record in 68...
. Again, his level of play did not measure up to expectations and he had numerous clashes with manager Bobby Valentine
Bobby Valentine
Robert John "Bobby V" Valentine is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox. He previously managed the Texas Rangers and New York Mets as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan...
over lack of playing time. His tenure in New York culminated in an infamous incident during Game Six of the 1999 NLCS where the Mets were eliminated by the Braves in an eleven inning game while Bonilla reportedly sat in the clubhouse playing cards with teammate Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henderson
Rickey Henley Henderson is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner...
.
Atlanta Braves
The New York MetsNew York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
placed Bonilla on unconditional waivers in 2000. He spent the 2000 season playing for the Atlanta Braves. The Mets agreed to pay out the remainder of Bonilla's contract by deferring the $5.9 million that he was due. The Mets will pay him 25 equal payments of $1,193,248.20 every July 1 from 2011 until 2035, assuming an annual interest rate of 8% during the period 2011-2035.
St. Louis Cardinals
In 2001, he was signed by the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, but was released due to an injury and the success of his replacement, Albert Pujols
Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara , better known as Albert Pujols , is a Dominican-American professional baseball player, who is currently a free agent...
. He played his final game on October 7, 2001.
Overall, Bobby Bonilla was a six-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, and had career statistics of 2010 hits, 287 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 1173 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, and a career .279 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
. He is due to receive 1.2 million dollars annually for 25 years from his contract with the mets.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions