Tigers, Burning Kind of BrightHas Detroit emerged from two decades of baseball hell?  —  Until last week, I didn't recognize my Detroit Tigers.  That's when the team with the majors' best record started falling apart like a Buick built on the first day of deer season.

White Sox drop the ball  —  Defensive lapse, baffled bats end Sox's win streak at 5  —  The White Sox braced themselves for a sixth-inning drop-off from Javier Vazquez.  —  But they didn't envision a defensive letdown or a failure to solve Runelvys Hernandez.

LO DUCA TRIES SOME PHILLY  —  CHEESECAKE  —  ME '2,' SAYS BET-PARLOR TEEN  —  It looks like a whopping strike two for soon-to-be divorced Met Paul Lo Duca.  —  Just one week after a 19-year-old Long Island woman told The Post she's been having an affair with the Casanova catcher …

Grimsley, D-Backs agree to donate salary to charity … Former major league pitcher Jason Grimsley, released after admitting to federal agents that he used illegal performance-enhancing drugs, has reached a settlement with the Arizona Diamondbacks that will pay him all of his remaining salary for the season, ESPN.com has learned.

Nationals place Soriano on waivers  —  The Nationals placed left fielder Alfonso Soriano on waivers Tuesday, a routine step that nonetheless raises the question of whether the team is making one last attempt to trade Soriano before he becomes a free agent, FOXSports.com has learned.

Unit: Win beats 4,500  —  Randy Johnson may have been the third Yankees pitcher to the 13-win mark, but his arrival there may be the most significant.  With the playoff chase growing heated, the Yankees need the five-time Cy Young Award winner.  And his second consecutive strong effort …

A's winning despite offensive struggles  —  These aren't your grandfather's A's.  Heck, these aren't even Michael Lewis' A's, the high on-base, power-laden outfit that the author extolled in Moneyball.  —  In recent seasons, A's general manager Billy Beane has shifted to more of a pitching …

Betemit's Full-Time Work Is Exemplary  —  So this is what Wilson Betemit can do as an everyday player.  —  Stuck behind Chipper Jones and Rafael Furcal for years in the Atlanta Braves system, Betemit has blossomed given regular playing time with the Dodgers.

Division Roundup, NL West  —  Promotions to the big leagues have left some holes in the Sidewinders' offense, but highly regarded prospects Alberto Callaspo and Chris Young (.278/.368/.543) are both doing their best to make up for it.  At .336/.403/.470, Callaspo is already approaching season-highs …

Telling signs can tip scales on mound  —  Pitcher's quirks weigh into batter's advantage  —  After a dominating season, Oakland closer Dennis Eckersley struggled in the 1992 ALCS because he was tipping his pitches to Toronto.  ''They knew what I was throwing,'' he said.  (AP/ File)

Kornheiser, Not Yet in Game Shape On 'MNF'  —  Tony Kornheiser played it safe in his "Monday Night Football" announcing debut last night, making few missteps but offering little for the highlight reel.  It wasn't exactly clear at times why he was there at all.  —  It's still early, as the coaches like to say.

Giants-Padres Preview  —  The San Diego Padres did not start their 10-game homestand they way they wanted to.  They return to Petco Park on Tuesday seeking a better result as they continue their set with the San Francisco Giants .  —  Home field has been troublesome for the Padres (60-58), who are a division-worst 28-32 there.

A's continue dominance of Mariners  —  Swisher's go-ahead shot delivers 13th straight over Seattle  —  OAKLAND — Before Betty Swisher succumbed to cancer, A's first baseman Nick Swisher used to call the grandmother who helped raise him to calm his nerves before every game.

Howard: Letter writer threatened to put him in a wheelchair - 8/15/2006 03:01 AM EDT  —  Talk about focus.  —  In the last 3 ½ weeks, Ryan Howard, a National League All-Star who won the Home Run Derby, has hit .360 with 10 homers and 28 RBI.  In his first full season with the Phillies …

Padres minor leaguer suspended  —  NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres minor league catcher Matthew Lauderdale was suspended for 50 games Tuesday after testing positive for a drug of abuse.  —  Lauderdale, a native of Atlanta who attended the College of Charleston, was selected by the Padres …