Who's Hot Who's Not

Who's Hot

CUBS
Not one, not two, but three straight walk-off victories (the first against the rival White Sox) had the Wrigley Bleacher Bums agog. "These are wins you have to get," said first baseman Derrek Lee, hitting .368 in June. After a fourth straight W, on Sunday, Chicago was only 2½ back in the NL Central.

MICHAEL PHELPS
Wait, the dude's getting faster? He won the 100-meter butterfly with a personal-best 50.48 at the Canada Cup and a day later took the 100 freestyle. How did the 23-year-old Phelps celebrate that one? He tossed his gold medal to a kid in the crowd.

BRIAN FUENTES
He had a rough start with the Angels, but lately? The former Rockie, who signed a two-year, $17.5 million deal, was unscored upon in his last six outings. Oh, and he had a major-league-best 19 saves. "It's kind of weird," said Fuentes. "I've never led in anything."

RICHARD PETTY
Kasey Kahne broke a 37-race winless streak, but that wasn't the real dry spell; Kahne's victory at Sonoma was team owner Petty's first since 1999. More fun on the way: The King's giving a talk in Connecticut on Friday, which the state has proclaimed Richard Petty Day.

Who's Not

RANGERS
Is that annual summer swoon coming early in Texas? Four consecutive losses had cut the team's AL West lead to a half-game. The Rangers had averaged only three runs over an 11-game stretch and were batting .218 in June. Second baseman Ian Kinsler (left): "It's just a funk. There's not much else you can say."

JAMES BLAKE
The guy is making a habit of this. Three weeks after getting bounced in the first round of the French Open, Blake was upset in straight sets by No. 50 Andreas Seppi in a Wimbledon opener. "I still have the ability," said Blake, 29. "It's just frustrating."

RYAN MADSON
The Phillies reliever did O.K. in his first days as a fill-in for closer Brad Lidge. Then, not so much. In three outings he had two losses and two blown saves (yes, that's possible) and his ERA jumped from 1.95 to 3.06. At least his run may be short. Lidge is due to return this week.

RICHARD CHILDRESS
None of his drivers—Jeff Burton, Casey Mears, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer—are above 15th in the Cup standings, and Harvick hasn't won in 86 races. "We've just got to all keep working," said Childress. "If you ever bury your head in the sand, you can't get back."