But even more glaring was the disconnect between penny-pinching at the organizational level and profligate spending on past-their-prime free agents like Greg Vaughn and Vinny Castilla in an ill-fated bid to compete.

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Nobody is even remotely close to first-ballot consideration as first-timers such as Jeromy Burnitz, Vinny Castilla, Brian Jordan, Javy Lopez, Bill Mueller, Terry Mulholland, Phil Nevin, Brad Radke, Tim Salmon, Ruben Sierra, Bernie Williams, Tony Womack and Eric Young all could be one and done.

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