Baseball's biggest spenders are stumbling, slowed by injuries and scrambling to patch rosters with help for battered bullpens and other positions ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. Opening the season with a top payroll of $326 million, the New York Mets have a 1 1/2-game NL East lead but are 17-20 since mid-June. Just $200,000 behind them in spending, according to Major League Baseball's figures, the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers are four games ahead in the NL West but are 5-13 since July 3.