Usually you can tell just what kind of team you have if you look at where it is during the Fourth of July weekend. It is still hard to know the type of team the Brewers have, but in the words of that great baseball analyst Martha Stewart, "That's a good thing."

The argument for the Brewers centers partially on who they are chasing. The second-place Cardinals have been there before but seem content with taking a couple steps forward and one back. If the Brewers can keep St. Louis from taking the forward steps against them, the superior brewery town will take the first step and pass them.

Then, there would be the Reds. They have done everything right. They actually have followed the model that raised the expectations on the Brewers. You build in the farm system and then plug in role players where necessary. It is everything the small market teams need to do.

However, the Reds have not been here in a long time. It is odd talking about the Brewers having the edge in pennant race experience but this group has seen the ups and downs. The Reds have not. Just tighten things up a little and the wonderful fairy tale stories of perfect rookies and young stars may end up with a lump in the throat that can choke away the person reading that fairy tale.

In reality, those teams have margin for error. The Brewers do not so they need to get things rolling. The point is, from past history, it is obvious that they can.

Right now, only Rickie Weeks is hitting above and beyond what history defines as Rickie Weeks. Realistically he will cool off. That does not mean a free fall. Watch his approach and see so many hits going to right center and you can imagine that he will stay, at worst, steady and maybe be spectacular.

The stud that is Ryan Braun approaches game number 500 in his career and you can pretty much write down that he will actually improve on his average and his power and maybe show the kind of leadership an elite player must have.

The Casey McGehee-Corey Hart juggernaut may slow down, power-wise, but their power numbers do not seem outlandish. It is safe to assume they can do at least 75 percent of what they have been doing. If Hart winds up with 30 homers and McGehee with 25, you would be thrilled.

Then, you have to believe that Prince Fielder will have a two-week stretch where he can carry the team. He is not a .259 hitter. That is just the number next to his name right now. He needs a big upgrade, but look at him. If he is hitting .280 by the end of the season the Brewers will be going to the final weekend with a chance.

Yes, it will take Alcides Escobar to improve his consistency but having covered him through the minors I can say he is someone who sees things to work on and improves them.

While most Brewers fans enjoy talking about the pitching as much as I enjoy the notion of a Justin Bieber heavy metal album, there is hope there, too. Yovani Gallardo is in the elite and it seems like he is embracing that role. The other starters have not been world-beaters but you figure Randy Wolf is the kind of guy who can get hot and Dave Bush will keep eating innings.

Unlike the past, this Brewers management knows that going out and getting help is probably what it will take. CC Sabathia is not coming back but there is help to be had and General Manager Doug Melvin seems to balance bringing people in without mortgaging the future better than just about anyone.

The bullpen seems to just need to know that the anchor is at the bottom in John Axford. He is quite the find and Trevor Hoffman being the kind of professional who does not demand to be the closer means that everyone else will fall in line.

It does have to all fall in place and picking up a couple games before the all star break is a must. The thing is, not one of these things is out of the realm of possibility. Lesser talent has won divisions. In fact lesser talent is leading at least one division right now.

Manager Ken Macha seems much smarter when the guys actually execute what he is putting out there. That is how it works.