You know it's summertime when you hear the crisp crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd and "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." As the summer temperatures soar, and we enjoy America's pastime, our favorite soaps are heating up, too! Grab your bat and ball, and come along as we keep score...soap opera style.

HOME RUN: Billy Miller's portrayal of Billy Abbott. It is as if head writer Maria Arena Bell dreamed up this guy! Everything is perfect about his casting...from Miller's uncanny resemblance to Billy's brother, right down to Smilin' Jack's mannerisms, to his ability to portray a playboy with as much charm as smarm. This is not only a home run, but a grand slam for Y&R! He looked positively green in the gills watching his bride walk down the aisle. Love this guy!

HIT: Kevin's emergence from his downward spiral. It was just a matter of time before his inner ticking time bomb exploded. Clint Radison's twisted kidnapping plot gone wrong pushed Kevin over the edge. His reactions were truly scary. It was like a roller coaster I couldn't bear to get on, but couldn't resist! I'm looking forward to seeing him redeemed once again. But as well-played as it was — and Greg Rikaart turned in an Emmy-worthy performance — I am ready to be done with padded cells and glassy eyes. (Till next time, of course.)

HIT: Matrimonial food fight! Who wouldn't want to sink their claws into freshly baked wedding cake covered in layers and layers of thick, expensive buttercream icing, and then chuck it at their worst enemy?! The cake fight scene at Chloe's wedding brought out my inner 3-year-old. I found myself cheering for both broads. Even Nikki got in on the act!

HIT: Murphy looking around the Chancellor mansion in awe and commenting that his entire double-wide could fit in the living room. Classic! Murphy will be a breath of fresh air around that stuffy place. Who doesn't love a couple in their twilight years playing cards in bed together?

STRIKEOUT: Mackenzie's new look. She looks too old for her age — and the new wig makes it worse. Where's the innocent essence of Mac? No way would the old Mac have gone to a Third World country to help the poor and returned with a full face of makeup and hot curlers.

STRIKEOUT: Gaslighting. Who will be the next to "gaslight" someone? First, Jack and Jeffrey teamed up to gaslight Gloria, using John's ghost to try to get her to move out of the Abbott mansion. Then, Gloria enlisted Kevin's help to gaslight Katherine by hotwiring her car and moving it without her knowledge. Now, someone is gaslighting Ashley to make it seem as though she is losing her mind again. My gaslight is about to burn out!

STRIKEOUT: Noah has nowhere to go! He has bounced between his former stepdad Jack's house to Nick's, back to Jack's, then to Victor's, now back to Nick's — all in the last month. His mother lives in a hotel, his father lives with his aunt, and his grandpa is preparing for the birth of his uncle! Poor kid. Eden is the least of his problems.

OFF THE BENCH

Here's what this coach's dream lineup looks like:

•Give Mac a makeunder, and quick! Fresh-faced with long, straight hair, pronto!

•Come up with an exciting new pairing that nobody will see coming. Mac and Cane, anyone? Newly single Neil and Mary Jane would be hot!

•Now that Amber is out of trouble, and Katherine is happy (and herself!) again, give us a big, heapin' helpin' of Amber and Mrs. C's renewed friendship!

•Wouldn't it be great comic relief to see Murphy really trying to orient himself to his new surroundings? How about letting us see him trying to make a sandwich — or trying to find where they keep fresh linens. What