Bonilla Is a Risk Worth Taking

There’s no need to wipe the smile off his face, because the second time around, he probably isn’t wearing one. For those who aren’t too thrilled about seeing Bobby Bonilla with the New York Mets again, imagine how he must feel.

Think of the major concessions Bobby Bo must make. Wearing earplugs in the outfield won’t be tolerated. He’ll be asked to refrain from admiring his own stats. He must lose weight and whip into shape.

And under no circumstances can he offer to show reporters the Bronx anymore.

In other words, he can’t duplicate anything that made his first stint with the Mets so unforgettable.

So, when Bonilla heard Wednesday’s news while vacationing in Mexico, it’s unlikely he toasted the air with a margarita. And notice how the Mets didn’t gloat about stealing anyone, even though they found a sucker to take Mel Rojas. Everyone in the organization is fully aware of the gamble they took in bringing back a bad memory.

“There are risks,” admitted Manager Bobby Valentine.

“There are slight concerns,” said Frank Cashen, the temporary general manager.

Agreed, then. Nobody’s ready to hold a parade. And the only reason there isn’t an uproar heard over Bonilla right now is because it’s being muffled by the celebration from losing Rojas.

But there’s a way Bonilla and the Mets can work, and only one person who can make it happen.

And that’s Bobby Bo.

As of right now, the only good to come out of the trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, from the Mets’ standpoint, is the elimination of a relief pitcher who became the most reviled Met since. . .well, since Bonilla. Getting anything for Rojas became a Mets obsession. That they settled on Bonilla only shows how desperate they were to dump him.

The wounds left by Bonilla three years ago still show scars. He was the symbol for those unpleasant, under-achieving and misbehaving Mets teams of the early and mid-’90s. It was Bonilla and Bret Saberhagen and Vince Coleman who helped force the Mets to clean house, change their management team and search for a better image. Those Mets teams never sprayed champagne, only bleach. They fought the beat reporters, not other teams. They confined their fireworks to the parking lot, not the field.

Most of all there was Bonilla, who signed for big money in December, 1991, and then failed the Mets, in almost every way, for 3 1/2 very long, insufferable seasons. The smile that he dared anyone to knock off quickly became an ugly frown, which followed Bonilla out of town in July, ’95. Very likely, it’s following him back into town.

Now, the challenge for Bonilla is for him, not others, to wipe away his current expression over the trade. He has the chance to make amends for his previous tenure. He can be accepted in a way he never was before. New York fans don’t forget, but they can forgive.

Everything’s in his favor this time. This isn’t his team, not like before. He isn’t coming to the Mets as a leader or a star; they’re paying Mike Piazza $91 million to fill those roles. All that’s being asked of Bonilla is to hit behind Piazza, to give the Mets something they don’t have.

He’ll have to be physically prepared to do this. That’s the other gamble with Bonilla, besides his attitude. His body is starting to show signs of breakage. He had a wrist operation and a cancer scare. There’s one nick after another. He carried a few pounds too many last season. He’s almost 36 now and needs to understand he isn’t the prime player he was in Pittsburgh.

He must move from third base to the outfield, too, and that will require him to bring strong legs and an arm into next season. The Mets are hoping that, if healthy, Bonilla can hit his lifetime average of .283 and drive in 85-90 runs. He can hit for power and average, although he isn’t especially strong in either.

The Mets may find themselves banking on Bonilla more than they want. Unless something happens in the next few weeks, Bonilla could be their biggest offseason acquisition. Outfielder Brian Jordan once was believed to be a bargain free agent; now it appears he’ll cost about $8 million a year and sign elsewhere. The Mets are also finding it difficult to fetch anything of significance for catcher Todd Hundley, whose surgically repaired right elbow and feeble late-season comeback attempt are causing some teams to pause.

The Mets spent a fortune to keep Piazza and Al Leiter and they still have Dennis Cook to re-sign. They’re still in the hunt for third baseman Robin Ventura. But in the end, the Mets will have spent more money retaining players than obtaining them.

At least they won’t bring back Rojas. There are better alternatives, it seems, even if it means taking a risk on someone who represents an awful past.

Given another chance, Bonilla now has the opportunity to wipe that off his plate.