Who's Hot / Who's Not

WHO's HOT

Ryan Howard

Power surge (nine homers in 11 games) from a powerful man (6'4", 250 pounds) gave the Phillies first sacker a big-league-best 53 home runs and-check this out-134 RBIs through Monday. Last year's NL Rookie of the Year may have an MVP trophy coming his way. Teammate David Dellucci: "He's a freak of nature."

New Mexico State football

It's over! O.K., they were playing Division I-AA Southern Louisiana, but the Aggies, helped by RB Justine Buries (right), snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 30-15 win. "Considering where we were at," said QB Chase Holbrook, who passed for 381 yards and two TDs, "we were just happy with what we got."

Penguins

Happy days. Superprospect Evgeni Malkin, freshly bolted from Russia, should soon join Sid the Kid, and the phenoms may have a neat place to play: The city approved spending that by next month could land space for a new arena.

Roy Oswalt

Sittin' pretty. Five days after inking a five-year, $73 million contract, Astros righty was perfect for six innings en route to shutting down the Mets-the team that coveted him at the trade deadline.

WHO's NOT

Joey Gathright

The anti-Howard (through Sunday he'd had a big-league-high 312 at bats without a homer) is also a freak of nature-the Devil Rays drafted him after seeing him jump over a car. But the speedster has three SBs since Aug. 1, is hitting .218 and has spent the year with Tampa Bay and (now) K.C.-the AL's worst teams.