In attendance at the game between the Brewers and the Chicago Cubs Thursday afternoon was a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. As such, it was fair that Milwaukee didn't lose Yovani Gallardo to any major injury after he and Prince Fielder went charging toward first base, at the same time, to break up a drag bunt.
Gallardo, as expected, lost that battle and went down in a heap. It was telling to see the Brewers surround the 22-year-old, as if their whole season were reliant on him staying healthy - if the Brewers want to advance to the playoffs for the first time in more than 25 years.
Actually, it is. Ben Sheets' balky triceps/ears/shoulder/hamstring is nothing to depend on, even if his curveball is. Sheets' 4-0 record and 1.64 ERA is Cy Young stuff, as long as he can make 20 more starts this season. Jeff Suppan makes the cash to be a big-money pitcher but then has outings like Wednesday's. And the rest is the back end of the rotation.
The fastest to come out of that dugout, of course, was Ned Yost, who is depending on a spot in the playoffs this year to keep his job. The Brewers exercised a clause in his contract to bring him back and manage the team this year. Doug Melvin, the Brewers' general manager, made it sound as if it wasn't a tough decision.
Yet I remain convinced that if the Brewers miss the postseason this year, Yost and his staff will be out.
The Brewers started off hot again this season - not to the same extent they did last year, but still enough to give the impression that they were ready to take the winner's mantle from the Cubs.
Then they do things that the Brewers were supposed to have left behind, like losing two out of three at home to the Reds, or two out of three to the Marlins. Or giving up 19 runs when they have a chance to catch up to Chicago.
That's the kind of baseball Yost can't afford to watch this year if he's going to remain in Milwaukee. It's precisely what he does, though. His habit of sugarcoating losses and sticking with players who don't perform is beginning to border on neurotic, and it's adversely affecting his team.
The way he talked about Dave Bush while he was sputtering to an 0-3 record and a 6-plus ERA is bloodcurdling. And sticking with Rickie Weeks in the leadoff spot - or in the lineup in general - is bewildering. Giving Derrick Turnbow opportunities when the game is on the line makes sense, just like his irritable post-game attitude does.
Even if Melvin hasn't given Yost all the pieces he needs to take the Brewers into the playoffs, the two make it clear that they have a seamless relationship, with Yost able to make all the necessary personnel recommendations to Melvin. If that is the case, then the Brewers need a better appraiser of talent.
Sure, the season is still in the early stages, but just as it was foolish for a Chicago paper to set up this Brewers-Cubs series as the be-all, end-all for the hometown team, it would be premature to call for Yost to be given his papers.
But it may come to that point for the Brewers.
If you think Dave Bush just needs a few more outings to blossom, e-mail Jon at bortin@wisc.edu.
