WHO'S Hot / WHO'S Not

WHO'S Hot

Danny Woodhead
He's off! Chadron (Neb.) State's tailback and the 2006 Division II player of the year opened '07 by gaining 290 yards against Washburn. At this rate he'll be the NCAA's alltime leading rusher by October. Chadron State coach Bill O'Boyle, to Nebraska's KHAS-TV after the game: "Typical Danny."

David Wells
Rotund 44-year-old lefty hooks on with the Dodgers, starts against the Mets, lays down a bunt base hit, pitches five innings of two-run ball and wins the game!

Street Sense
Down the stretch he comes: The Kentucky Derby winner held off Grasshopper (harder than it sounds) to win the Travers, then headed to his old Kentucky home to relax. Two more races—the second the Oct. 27 Breeders' Cup Classic—and then, Sweet Dionysus!, he'll retire to stud.

Cuban
Judges beware: Mavericks owner and notorious ref baiter Mark Cuban (right) is getting his boogie on. Continuing his quest to have the best life ever, he's reportedly going on Dancing with the Stars.

WHO'S Not

Mark Reynolds
The ignominy: The Diamondbacks' rookie third baseman tied a big league record by striking out nine straight times. The pain: The streak ended when he got hit by a pitch. The relief: Manager Bob Melvin gave Reynolds, who'd been 0 for his last 16, a day off on Sunday.

Brett Myers
Phillies righty gives up a ninth-inning homer, gives up another ninth-inning homer, loses the game, then explodes at a reporter, whom Myers calls "a retard."

Russell Baze
He may be the winningest jockey in thoroughbred history (9,826 wins), but he doesn't have much street sense. After twice whipping a horse that had broken a leg beneath him—the gelding, Imperial Eyes was later euthanized—he was suspended 15 days. Baze: "There is no way to defend it."

German
Royals second baseman Esteban German is in a serious swoon: hitting .074 over his past 10 games. And, o, yes, this: Padres starter Justin Germano has been winless with a 5.69 ERA in his last seven starts.

SI PLAYERS MLB POLL

Who was your favorite ballplayer when you were a kid?

<<<Nolan Ryan, P .... 10%

Ken Griffey Jr., OF .... 6%>>>

Cal Ripken Jr., SS .... 6%

Will Clark, 1B .... 6%

FAST FACTS Ryan, who retired in '93, is the alltime leader in strikeouts (5,714) and no-hitters (seven); he got 19.1% of the pitchers' vote.... Aside from Griffey Jr., pitchers Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux and Pedro Martinez were active players in the top 15 vote-getters.... Nonpitchers chose Ripken Jr. (8.9%).... A career .303 batter, Clark hit .319 with 21 homers in 2000, his last season.

[Based on a survey of 469 MLB players] • For an expanded version of the poll go to SI.com/players.

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JUSTIN HAAG/CHADRON STATE COLLEGE (WOODHEAD)

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MARK J. REBILAS/US PRESSWIRE (REYNOLDS)

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RAY STUBBLEBINE/REUTERS (WELLS)

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NAM Y. HUH/AP (MYERS)

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JOHN W. MCDONOUGH (CUBAN)

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JERRY WACHTER (RYAN)

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V. J. LOVERO (GRIFFEY JR.)