Very few teams spent significant money last winter besides the Yankees.  Those that did spend now regret it.

Pat Burrell (TB - 2 Years $16m): His contract appeared to be a bargain initially, but he has been that bad.  The Rays were expecting his normal .900 OPS and 30HR with a potential AL boost.  Instead, he has a .660 OPS with just four home runs.  He plays terrible defense.  Perhaps, he is a masochist floundering without the sweet abuse he got in Philly.

Milton Bradley (CHC - 3 years $30m): Bradley is 31 and has played 100 games while fielding a position once.  He hit .178 above his career OPS with Texas park-inflation last season.  He’s also Milton Bradley.  Should have raised eyebrows.  Brought in to hit, he has a .739 OPS with 6 HR.  Were it not for the money, he’d already be out of the lineup.

Edgar Renteria (SF - 2 years $18.5m): Since he peaked six years ago, Renteria tickled Brian Sabean’s grizzle fetish.  Signed after a down year in Detroit, he has been even worse with a .660 OPS, refuting the theory that he was “just an NL guy.€Â  He is just as bad now as their alternatives, but he costs five times as much.  Would anyone be surprised if it came out he was really 38?

Kerry Wood (CLE - 2 years $20.5m): Closing on a good team does not make you a good closer.  The pitching staff, after Cliff Lee, looked atrocious.  Cleveland then spent an inane amount on the pitcher who would throw the fewest innings.  His stuff remains, with 33 strikeouts in 29.2 innings, but his command, 16 walks, has faltered.  Unless he morphs into Mariano Rivera, this was a foolish waste.

Oliver Perez (NYM - 3 years $36m): The Mets outbid themselves for a starter who has never thrown 200 innings and who has a career 93 OPS+ and a 1.446 WHIP.  His adjusted ERA last season was an average 100.  He has been hurt this season, but woeful when he played, 8.78 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP.  He’s not the second ace the Mets needed to pair with Santana.  He’s just paid like one.