Who's Hot Who's Not

WHO'S Hot

Old 'Stros
On the day Craig Biggio had his number 7 retired at Minute Maid Park, Houston rode career Astro Roy Oswalt to the team's ninth win in 11 games. Who else to thank? How about 10-year Houstonite Lance Berkman (above), hitting a healthy .331. Could the surge mean a spot in the playoff race? Well, said manager Cecil Cooper, "there's a little magic in the clubhouse."

Buster Posey
Betcha wish you had a pocketful like Posey's. The former Florida State catcher and No. 5 overall draft pick got a record $6.2 million signing bonus from the Giants and may play A ball this year. What does the Golden Spikes winner think of his Midas touch? "I'm extremely excited."

Nick Saban
As if a $32 million contract and having total control at Alabama weren't enough, football coach Nick Saban now has another reason to be going up in hat size: Forbes is calling him the most powerful coach in all sports, and they put him on the cover.

Jeff Kent
A boost from Manny. The Dodgers' second baseman has hit .465 in 11 games batting in front of newly imported cleanup hitter Manny Ramirez, raising Kent's season average to .279. Said L.A. manager Joe Torre, "It's helped him."

WHO'S Not

Knucklers
Tim Wakefield's out with a shoulder injury, so the Red Sox gave a start to his putative heir, Charlie Zink (above). Kid knucksie's debut line? A real Zinker: 4 1/3 innings, eight runs. In Seattle, yet another knuckleballer, R.A. Dickey, had a wild time on Sunday, tossing four errant pitches in an inning, then offering this revelation on his signature pitch: "It was hard to control."

Busted Gibbs
Forget Joe Gibbs Racing's fine season—they've been cheatin'! Two Nationwide Series cars had magnets under their gas pedals, distorting horsepower readings in a NASCAR check. Awaiting sanctions, president J.D. Gibbs apologized, saying he and papa Joe were in the dark.

Tom Glavine
End of the line? With 305 career wins—but just two in 13 starts this season—the Braves' 42-year-old lefty went back on the disabled list with elbow trouble. "I don't think I want my career to end this way," said Glavine. But if he needs surgery, it probably will.

Jeff Kent
Manny? Who needs Manny? The irascible Kent (left) bristled at talk that the big guy's aided his game—even dissing the sacred Vin Scully. After the broadcaster cited Kent's with-Manny stats, Kent told the L.A. Times, "Vin Scully talks too much."