The Yankees have no equal -- in spending, not in winning.

Even before their latest spending spree, the Yankees finished 2008 with a record payroll of $222.5 million, according to figures sent to clubs in recent days by the commissioner's office. The $75 million gap between the Yankees and the next-highest spender, the Boston Red Sox ($147.1 million), was more than the payroll of nine teams.

New York's luxury tax payment -- $26,862,702 -- was just $141,000 shy of the Florida Marlins' entire payroll, which came to $27,003,450.

The luxury tax was assessed using a different payroll method: the average annual values of contracts.

The New York Mets, eliminated on the final day of the regular season for the second season in a row, were third this year at $144.7 million, followed by Detroit ($136.2 million) and the Chicago Cubs ($130.5 million).

Teams spent $2.88 billion on players last season, up from $2.71 million in 2007. MLB estimates revenue at $6.5 billion, an increase from $6,075,000,000 the previous year.