Who's Hot / Who's Not
WHO'S Hot
MiguelCabrera
Marlins' topslugger was behaving as advertised, batting .347 through Sunday (.412 in last10 games) with 49 RBIs for the suddenly flying fish. After seeing Miggy (above)foil an intentional walk attempt by reaching out to lash an RBI single--thinkKelly Leak, Bad News Bears--manager Joe Girardi opined, "He is a greathitter."
Minnesota
The Twins arerolling, and times are sweet in U.S. hockey country: At the NHL draft three ofthe top eight picks were Minnesotans (including No. 1 Erik Johnson, page 31),and the home state Wild traded for sniper Pavol Demitra.
World CupHosts
Germany is sehrheiss--and not just on the pitch, where the team (page 44) delighted the homefaithful by storming into the quarterfinals. The games had attracted an averageof 51,759 high-spirited fans, and for all the bier drinking, roughhousing wasrare.
AlexanderOvechkin
Rookie of theyear. Cover boy for EA's NHL 07 video game. What's next for the Capitals'Russian revolutionary (left)--a job as G.M.? Maybe. At the draft, ownership hadhim step up to the podium to announce their top two picks.
WHO'S Not
DanielCabrera
Orioles' would-beace (below) can't harness his good stuff. Three straight losses and a 5.11 ERAthrough Monday were the result of some wild times. The AL leader in bases onballs (60) and wild pitches (13) walked five and threw away four against theNats on Sunday, leading manager Sam Perlozzo to observe, "Hestruggled."
Chicago
It ain't justOzzie of the Chisox--the relentless losing of the Cubs (at this rate they'lldrop 100) could mean the ax for manager Dusty Baker. And as the Chicago Firescuffle in MLS (3-5-5), the Chicago Sky are the dregs of the WNBA at 1-13.
World CupRefs
You're not in thegame if you haven't ripped a ref lately--and likely with cause. FIFA boss SeppBlatter scolded, Argentine striker Hernan Crespo grumbled, and after a game inwhich the ref gave 16 yellow and four red cards, Netherlands coach Marco vanBasten said, "[He] made a mess of it."
Comic Twist
Creator of Spawncomics Todd McFarlane--same guy who bought McGwire, Sosa and Bonds home runballs--lost an appeal of a $15 million suit filed by Tony Twist, ex-NHL goon.Twist was upset that Spawn had a violent mob character named ... Tony Twist(above).
PHOTO
GAIL BURTON/AP (DANIEL CABRERA)
ILLUSTRATION
©TODD MCFARLANE PRODUCTIONS (TWIST)
PHOTO
LOU CAPOZZOLA (OVECHKIN)
PHOTO
JOHN IACONO (MIGUEL CABRERA)