There is perhaps no better sign of the New York Mets' financial and personnel woes than this: Bobby Bonilla will make more money this year than any Mets outfielder.
That's right, Bonilla, who retired after the 2001 season, will get paid more by the organization than any current outfielder on the Mets roster. That's because when the Mets bought out the final year of Bonilla's contract in 2000, they agreed to defer his payment and add interest. So rather than give him $5.9 million back then, they will pay him $1,193,248.20 annually for 25 years (2011-2035).
That's more than any outfielder currently on the Mets roster will make in 2013. In fact, just nine players on the Mets are due to make more than Bonilla this year.
As if that wasn't bad enough, here's the gut punch: New York bought out the $21 million contract of Jason Bay in the fall, and the franchise will pay the bulk of that this year. In other words, the money being paid to two players not on the team, Bay and Bonilla, is nearly one third of the combined salaries of everyone else ($64.5 million).
Cheer up, Mets fans. Amazingly, there's a chance your team won't be the worst in the NL East.
(H/T to Big Lead Sports)
