White Sox: Roberto Alomar (left), an underachiever the past year and a half, is starting to come around. Bartolo Colon, an underachiever most of this season, is starting to look like the 20-game winner he was last season. And Paul Konerko, whose numbers this season would have been underachieving for Mario Mendoza, is suddenly the hottest hitter in the league. The result? The Pale Hose are on the move. (By the way, they just won five of six from K.C.).

Eric Gagne, Dodgers: Getting leads has been a problem in Los Angeles this season. But holding them hasn't, thanks to Gagne, who notched his 47th straight regular-season save Friday (vs. the Cubs) and 39th this year, surpassing the record Jose Mesa set in 1995 with Cleveland.

Mike Piazza, Mets: "Hot" might be stretching it. But the Mets, desperate for some good news in a lost season, should at least get back Piazza this week. He had been out since tearing his groin muscle May 16.

Not-so-hot corner

Seattle Mariners: They were 52-26 on June 27 but have deteriorated; they've straddled the .500 mark since then and had no significant additions at the trade deadline. They did make one move last week, but it was a lateral one at best, dealing top setup man Jeff Nelson to the Yankees for short-timer Armando Benitez, a hard-throwing closer with a shaky past.

Line of the week

Atlanta	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Hampton M, 9-5	9	5	1	1	1	4	105	4.41

The Braves have cruised atop the NL East all season more because of their offense than because of what used to be their trademark top-flight starting pitching. Now with left-hander Mike Hampton starting to round into his pre-Rockies form, Atlanta's looking even more dangerous. Hampton won his sixth straight decision Thursday, a five-hitter in the Braves' 7-1 victory over Milwaukee. It's Hampton's best streak since he compiled a

career-high 11-game winning streak in 1999, when he went 22-4 for the Houston Astros.