The Hot Corner

Two years after undergoing reconstructive elbow surgery, Dodgers catcher Todd Hundley is finally a threat to would-be base stealers. After throwing out a woeful 23.0% of runners attempting to steal last season and only 10 of his first 51 (19.6%) this year, since the All-Star break Hundley had caught nine of 27 (33%) through Sunday, including speedsters Luis Castillo of the Marlins and Vladimir Guerrero of the Expos. Says Dodgers bullpen coach Rick Dempsey, "His arm has gotten a lot stronger. He's been giving us a chance."

...What's happened to the Mariners, who at week's end had seen their American League West lead whittled from eight games to two games in 14 days? "Our pitching has been horrendous, and our defense hasn't been much better," says manager Lou Piniella, who watched his team set a major league record by surrendering nine or more runs in seven straight games. "They're what we've relied on all year, and inexplicably they've gone south." Adds outfielder Jay Buhner, who has been on the disabled list since Aug. 22, "We're doing everything we can possibly do wrong."

...The Expos surrendered their option on the lease for land earmarked for a new stadium last week, essentially killing any plans for a new ballpark that would keep them in Montreal. Next stop, northern Virginia?

...Priority No. 1 for the Giants down the stretch? Keep outfielder Ellis Burks healthy. San Francisco was 54-31 through Sunday in games he had started, 19-24 in games he hadn't.