Who's Hot Who's Not

WHO'S Hot

Gary Sheffield
Goodbye, New York . An off-season trade, some Yankee-dissing (On Bobby Abreu : "He ain't me"), and now he's helping Detroit distance itself from the likes of the Yanks. Since May 2, Sheff's hitting .349 and his career numbers are getting Cooperstown -worthy: Homer 475 came last week.

SaberCats
Cruisin'. What happens when you have a QB ( San Jose 's Mark Grieb, right) throw nine TD passes? You win your 11th straight game and go to the AFL's American Conference championship.

Pence
Hunter's not acting his age. The Astros ' 24-year-old centerfielder (page 57) could become the first NL rookie to win a batting title. He was at .342, and Houston fans were hanging HUNTER: FEED THE MASSES signs at the park. Astros CEO Drayton McLane: "You build franchises with players like him."

Colin Montgomerie
At last, the full Monty. He'd gone winless for 19 months before some back-nine putting and a bit of long grass that saved a ball from the water snagged him the European Open. Said Montgomerie, 44, who just changed caddies, "I feel there is a new career in me."

WHO'S Not

Jose Contreras
Goodbye, Chicago ? While Chisox rotation-mate Mark Buehrle got a new deal, Contreras remains trade bait—assuming anyone wants him. At 5--10 his velocity is down, his control is off ("I never wanted it to be like this," he said), and this may not be a fleeting dip. He's 9-19 since last year's All-Star break.

Desperados
Upset! Dallas 's 15--1 regular season (the AFL's best ever) meant zip when two weird bounces (off the field goal uprights) led to a playoff loss to Columbus , which came in—ready?—at 7--9.

Schilling
Curt may be showing his age. The 40-year-old Red Sox righty's near no-hitter seems eons, not five weeks, ago. He's been out since June 19 with shoulder tendinitis, his return date is vague—and he's been neglecting his beloved blog. Schilling to the Boston Herald : "The progress isn't where I want it to be."

Tom Watson
It seemed elementary: Watson , 57, was up by three strokes and headed to his first win at the U.S. Senior Open. Then he played the last eight holes at eight over par—"I lost the reins," he said—and wound up fourth, a collapse that cost him nearly $350,000.