Inside: The Week In Sports

Baseball
Coming off his most painful, and least productive, season, Albert Pujols is raking again, pain-free ? The secret to the Royals ' first-week success

Horse Racing
Run down in the Wood, War Pass is no sure bet to handle the Kentucky Derby 's longer distance ? The horses to watch in this week's Derby preps

Tennis
Serena Williams , fitter and more focused, dominates at Key Biscayne ? Russia 's Mikhail Youzhny finally gets some attention—as a headbanger

The NBA
Why Kobe's the MVP over three other worthy candidates ? The Celtics take the honors for top defensive player and team exec ? The buzz on the top coach

DIAMOND GYM
No, J.R. Towles was not hand-walking to first after a hit batsman. His world was turned upside down when he tried to avoid a pitch by Cubs lefthander Rich Hill in the second inning of last Friday's game at Wrigley Field . Towles, the Astros catcher, exacted revenge two innings later with a two-run homer off Hill in Houston 's 4--3 win.