It’s not very often people get paid for doing nothing. But in the world of sports, anything is possible. Not only do a number of players continue to make millions from endorsement deals and television appearances after retirement, but some are even lucky enough to continue raking in cash from their days as an athlete. This is a surprisingly common occurrence in professional baseball, where contract deferments and blatant mistakes have helped retired players continue to cash in for simply being a former athlete. Read on and see for yourself how some of the biggest names in baseball will continue to make money without even stepping on the field and the teams that owe them.
5. Bobby Bonilla (New York Mets) – $1.2 million/year
During his 16 seasons in the MLB, Bobby Bonilla was six-time all star, three-time Silver Slugger, a World Series champion with the 1997 Florida Marlins and from 1992 to 1994, the highest paid player in the league. When the Mets released him before the 2000 season, Bonilla made a deal to defer what was still owed to him, resulting in an annual payment of $1.2 million/year starting in 2011 and ending in 2035.
4. Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners) – $1.4 million/year
Not only is the current Yankees outfielder a hitting machine, a 10-time all star and the 2001 AL MVP, but he’s also a man who is owed a lot of money. $25 million of the $90 million extension he signed with the Seattle Mariners in 2007 was deferred, meaning if he were to retire after this season–which according to him is very unlikely–then he would be paid upwards of $1.4 million/year until at least 2032.
3. Manny Ramirez (Boson Red Sox) – $2 million/year
A 12-time all star and two-time World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox, Manny Ramirez was one of the best players in the league before drug policy violations eventually led him to retire rather than face a 100 game suspension in 2011. Now a coach/part-time player with the AAA Iowa Cubs, the Boston Red Sox continue to pay-off his $32 million deferment resulting in close to $2 million/year since 2011.
2. Ken Griffey, Jr. (Cincinnati Reds) – $3.5 million/year
In 2000, Ken Griffey, Jr., a 13-time all star and one of the most recognizable names in recent baseball history, inked a nine year deal with the Cincinnati Reds for $116.5 million. Griffey, Jr. was eventually traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2008 and finished out his career with the Seattle Mariners. Since his retirement 2010, the Reds have been paying-off the $57.5 million they deferred, resulting in $3.5 million/year stretching until 2025.
1. Alex Rodriguez (Texas Rangers) – $5 million/year
Before A-Rod was traded to the New York Yankees in 2004 and became the player everyone loved to hate, the 14-time all star and three-time AL MVP was one of professional baseball’s best and brightest stars. In 2001, Rodriguez signed a 10-year $252 million deal with the Texas Rangers. Nearly $25 million of that deal was deferred until 2016-2022, a time when Rodriguez will most likely be approaching retirement. Within those six years, Rodriguez will be making between $3 million to $5 million each year.
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