The Brewers Are Totally Redeeming Themselves!

Before you legitimately compete for the playoffs, you have to be at least .500, and the Brewers have accomplished that task in the early part of the weekend. Milwaukee has looked very sharp in their first two games against Houston, winning 11-2 on Friday and then 6-2 on Saturday. The veterans are getting their act together, the starting pitching has been superb, and the new guys are performing as well. Hell, even the stupid strategy of batting the pitcher in the 8th spot is paying off.

If you like offense, Friday was your night. The Brewers put up eight runs in the first inning, highlighted by homers by Ryan Braun and Felipe Lopez, as well as a two-RBI double from Yovani Gallardo. Braun added to the output with another home run in the bottom of the second inning. After that, Gallardo and the bullpen was able to keep the Astros at bay, and the Brewers finished with the 11-2 victory.

Saturday was another impressive night, highlighted by three RBI from Craig Counsell as well as seven solid innings from Mike Burns. With seven strikeouts as well, this might have been the best game Burns has pitched this season. It's gotta be difficult for him as he keeps getting bumped from Milwaukee to Nashville, but with every trip back to the big leagues he proves that he does deserve a spot on the active roster.

I'm not going to recap any further, I'll let the box scores do that when I post them, but the main thing to take away from this series so far is that maybe the Brewers aren't done quite yet. Personally, with them still being seven games back of the Cardinals and six back in the wild card race, I don't think this team will make the playoffs, but I'm encouraged by what I'm seeing this weekend. In the last two games, the Brewers have hit on all cylinders, and the new additions of Weathers, Escobar, and Burgeois seem to be paying off.

I guess my feeling comes down to this. I think that this current 25-man lineup (even without Bush and Suppan) can be a legitimate playoff contender. I think this current lineup is a pretty solid squad, based on what I saw this weekend and the potential that can come of that. The problem is that the Brewers have had such a rough stretch before this weekend, that I'm not sure we can make up all the ground we lost.

Are we good enough to be a playoff team? We just might be. But I fear it's a little too late.

And I could be good, and I would - if I knew I was understood...

... And itll be great, just wait - or is it too little too late?

(The Box Score contest is one song, I'm just looking for the artist.)

Players of the Game: We're going pitching on both nights here. Gallardo for Friday, Burns for Saturday.