Johnny Antonelli received one of the biggest bonuses ($52,000) when the Milwaukee Braves signed the high school star in 1948.  It caused resentment in the Braves locker room, so much so that fellow hurler Johnny Sain pushed for Antonelli to be blackballed from the loser's share of the 1948 World Series purse.  He would get his share ($571.31) when the Commissioner intervened, but Antonelli was always on the outside looking in.  After spending time in the military, another Braves star, Warren Spahn, convinced management that Antonelli was expendable as they had "too many lefthanders," and he was traded to New York, where he thrived as a Giant.

Antonelli had to have a chip on his shoulder, and the new scenery was just what the doctor ordered.  His first season as a Giant was his best, going 21-7, while he led the NL in ERA (2.30) and ERA+ (178) and went 21-7 with a third-place finish in MVP voting, and was The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year (the Cy Young didn't exist yet).  It was a perfect end to the year, as Antonelli helped the Giants win the World Series.  

An All-Star six times as a Giant, Antonelli was entrenched throughout the rest of the 1950s at or near the top of New York (then San Francisco) rotation.  The Giants, and Antonelli for that matter, did not have a year like '54 over the rest of his run for that team, but he was still a very good pitcher with a record of 108-84 with a 3.13 ERA for the team.

Antonelli was traded to Cleveland after the 1959 Season, and he was out of Baseball less than two years later.  He might not have been worth his bonus, but it was the best bonus the Giants never paid.