Mets, along with other teams' dollar not going as far as they hoped

As the first full month of the MLB season sets to conclude, the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Houston Astros are at the bottom of the league.

In fact, the Red Sox and the Phillies have both relieved their managers of their duties in the last few days.

More: Don Mattingly career timeline, from first manager stint with Dodgers to interim role with Phillies

For these four teams, the early-season struggles have become uncharted territory, as they are typically in the mix for a playoff berth. Yet, they oddly share something in common aside from underwhelming play.

That would be the massive payroll each team spent to build the rosters.

The Mets and Phillies, ironically, are tied for the worst record in the league while having the second-and fourth-largest payrolls.

Boston and Houston follow right behind them, each responsible for the sixth- and 11th-largest payrolls.

No question, all four ball clubs have the talent to turn things around; the Red Sox are on a three-game winning streak, but the woes of these teams send a message that pay-to-play is not always necessary.

It also indirectly proves the point that not every team can implement the same formula that the Los Angeles Dodgers have used to build a stacked roster.

The Dodgers are without a doubt the team to beat, as they are the reigning back-to-back champions for a reason.

Still, it has happened too many times in other sports, where teams have unintentionally destroyed their own teams by attempting to copy what another team has done in the past.

Spending is still necessary to some degree for success, but it also puts the team at significant risk when the plan doesn't pan out as designed.

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