Hey big spender, dig this blender

General Managers may want to read this information by Gordon Edes before they sign a pitcher this winter.

We took a group of the 17 top free agent starting pitchers who signed last winter and combined their numbers as of Friday. Clubs paid $353.25 million for those pitchers and got a .500 record (147-147) as a return. That doesn't include the $32 million, two-year extension the Yankees gave Randy Johnson after trading for him.

Entering yesterday, and with just two weeks left in the season, only two of those 17 pitchers had won as many as 15 games: Pedro Martinez (15-7) of the Mets, and Jon Lieber (15-12) of the Phillies. The Red Sox' David Wells (13-7) and Matt Clement (13-5) had a chance.

Some example of signings that haven't worked out so far:

• Kris Benson, Mets $22.5 million, 3 years. 9-8, 4.16 ERA
• Eric Milton, Reds $25.5 million, 3 years. 7-14, 6.56 ERA
• Russ Ortiz, Diamonbacks $33 million, 4 years. 5-10, 6.88 ERA