It's hard to find anybody who's taken more criticism over the last two seasons than reliever Derrick Turnbow.

As quickly as his lights-out fastball ascended the right-hander to rock-star status at Miller Park, he became the lighting rod for the frustrations of a fan base desperate for its first taste of post-season baseball in a quarter century.

The roller-coaster continued for Turnbow last week. He gave up the go-ahead and winning runs in a 4-3 loss to St. Louis on Monday night.

The outing was his first after publicly expressing dismay with the fact that he had been used only sparingly this season and never with the outcome of the game still in question.

Despite fumbling in his first opportunity, manager Ned Yost expressed confidence in Turnbow, who was an all-star in 2006 before suffering a meltdown from which he has yet to fully recover. Yost feels that Turnbow will play an integral role with the team during a possible run to the playoffs.

"We're going to need this kid this year," Yost said. "We're going to need him to be the person he was when he was an All-Star pitcher and when he was successful last year.

"You don't do it by sitting down there (in the bullpen)."

Yost again turned to Turnbow two days later in the ninth inning against Philadelphia. With the Brewers leading, 5-4, Turnbow worked a scoreless inning to preserve the victory and record his first save in exactly one year.

On Sunday against Florida, Turnbow came on in relief for the seventh inning. He threw just 11 pitches, but loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single before exiting the field to a chorus of boos from the sellout crowd of 41,656.

Mitch Stetter came on to end the inning without further damage, but the Brewers went on to lose, 3-2, in 10 innings.

Turnbow agrees with Yost that he's close to returning to form, even if the stats aren't there to back up the assumption.

"The results are not there, but I feel like I'm starting to get back to where I was in '05 and early '06. I have the confidence to know I can go out there and throw strikes now. It's about maybe executing a little better, mixing it up a bit more."

Cameron to join team: Centerfielder Mike Cameron wrapped up his 25-game suspension playing five games for Class AAA Nashville and will officially join the Brewers in time for Tuesday's game at Wrigley. Cameron hit .xxx during his minor-league assignment.

To make room for Cameron on the roster, the Brewers optioned RHP Dave Bush to Class AAA Nashville. Bush had started to stabilize after a few rocky outings to start the season, but the return of Yovani Gallardo made Bush - who had a minor-league option remaining - expendable.

The Brewers made the move following Sunday's loss. Yost told the media that the decision was difficult, but necessary. The team wanted Bush to remain in his regular rhythm; something he couldn't accomplish if he was moved into a long-relief role in the bullpen.

"It's to all of our benefit, as hard and painful as a decision like this is, to go and get a couple of starts," Yost said. "If something happens, we can bring him right back.

"He's struggled in the beginning, and it's gotten to the point where he's starting to get more mechanically sound and more consistent, and I just think it's going to happen for him."

Bush was 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts this season. He was done in regularly by the dreaded "big inning," as well as 12 walks in 22 2/3 innings of work.

"I don't have much of a choice but to accept it," Bush said. "I prefer not to think about how difficult is when I don't have a choice in the matter."

He had made 65 appearances for the Brewers since being acquired before the 2006 season in a trade that sent Lyle Overbay to Toronto. Bush last pitched in the minors in 2005.

"It's a situation where I had options left, and when that's the case, they can do whatever they want," Bush said. "I'm odd-man-out this time, I guess."

All eyes on Sheets: Ben Sheets is scheduled to make his first start in nearly two weeks when the Brewers face the Cubs Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. Sheets has been sidelined with a strain of his right triceps since April 19, when he left after pitching just five innings in a start against the Reds.

The right-hander threw a bullpen session on Saturday and reported feeling no discomfort.

Sheets is 3-0 in four starts this season with an earned run average of 0.96. He is eligible for free agency following the season.

No worries: Yost has a simple explanation as to why his offense, which was considered to be the team's strength heading into the season, has yet to break out.

"I'm seeing great pitching," Yost said after a 10-inning loss to Florida Friday night. "We're swinging the bats fine. You take your hat off to (Marlins starter Jeff) Olson. I didn't see one mistake; not one ball where I said ‘oh man, we should have crushed that ball.' You take your hat off to (the opposing pitchers); they pitched great, they really did."

The Brewers' bats have yet to click on all cylinders this season. Weeks is batting an anemic .191 in the leadoff spot while Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder have started to make better contact, but are still each batting around .250.

So far, the only overly-consistent production has come from the nine-hole, where catcher Jason Kendall is hitting .312 with eight RBI.

Homecoming: Geoff Jenkins returned to Milwaukee last week for the first time since signing as a free agent with Philadelphia during the winter. Jenkins - the Brewers' first-round draft pick in 1995 - went 0-for-3 with a walk.

OnMilwaukee.com senior editor Drew Olson caught up with Jenkins during the quick, two-game series.

Scoring machine: Weeks will probably never win a Gold Glove Award and is in the midst of a nasty slump (.191 batting average, 3 HR, 8 RBI), but he's still contributing to the team. Since Aug. 10, 2007, no player in baseball has scored more runs than Weeks, who has crossed home plate 65 times during that span. In 21 games this season, Weeks has scored 21 times.

"Is he going to drive in a ton of runs? Probably not," said Yost. "He's a run-scorer and that is his job on our team."

Weeks continues to work on his defense. He is often out on the field early, working with the coaching staff to improve his glove work.

Injury report: Chris Capuano continues to rehab his injured left elbow. The left-hander is on a throwing program in which he throws from 50 and 75 feet for a few minutes from each distance. He will eventually work his way up to throwing from a mound in an effort to avoid reconstructive surgery. ... Reliever Randy Choate continues his physical therapy program in Arizona, but has yet to resume throwing. He broke his left ring finger during spring training.

Quick hits: The Brewers lead the majors, having played seven extra-inning games this season. They own a 5-2 record in those contests. ... Each of the last 12 games has been decided by three runs or less. ... Starting pitchers have notched nine consecutive no-decisions, despite making six "quality starts" during that stretch. ... Mitch Stetter has stranded all four inherited runners since he's been summoned from the minors and is holding opponents to a .183 batting average.

On the farm: Nashville is getting an offensive punch from Russell Branyan, who is batting .406. Branyan played for the Brewers in 2005-2006 and signed a minor-league contract prior to spring training. ... Branyan, Vinny Rottino and Brendan Katin each homered for the Sounds in a 13-run effort against Omaha Friday night. ... Matt LaPorta leads the Brewers minor-league teams and the Class AA Southern League with six home runs and 22 RBI for Class AA Huntsville. ... RHP Josh Butler, obtained in the Gabe Gross trade, made his first appearance with Class A Brevard County Friday, allowing just two hits with four strikeouts in four scoreless innings of work. ... SS Alcides Escobar is improving after a rough start with Huntsville; he had three hits Saturday to raise his average to .280.

This week: Another Monday off for the Brewers, who open a three-game series against the Central Division-leading Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. On Friday, it's off to Houston to face Cecil Cooper's Astros in the first meeting of the season between the two divisional rivals.

He said it: "My thing is that you guys eat meat all day and you can't hit a ball. That's my thing." - 1B Prince Fielder to the flock of reporters talking to him after his two-homer effort against Philadelphia.

Attendance (Through 13 home games): Total - 438,936; Average -- 33,764; On pace for -- 2,734,884. Sellouts -- 4.

NL Central Standings: 1, St. Louis 12-6 (--); 2, Chicago, 12-7 (0.5 GB); 3, Milwaukee, 11-7 (1.0); 4, Cincinnati, 8-11 (4.5); Pittsburgh, 7-11 (5.0); 6, Houston, 7-12 (5.5).

Sausage standings: Bratwurst - 2; Polish - 4; Italian - 2; Hot Dog - 1; Chorizo - 5.

Under the roof: Games played with roof / panels open - 0; roof closed / panels open - 1; roof open / panels closed - 0; roof / panels closed - 12. Total home games - 13.