PHOENIX -- Welcome to the spring training edition of Saturday Scorecard, written for people who know that "March Madness" is a foot of snow after the first day of spring.

Here are a few points to ponder during your break from shoveling and basketball watching:

Father's Day: When Larry Harris' tenure as general manager of the Bucks came to an end this week, we couldn't help wondering if there was one person who could have prevented the downward spiral that prompted his ouster.

That one person: Del Harris.

Rumor has it that Larry wanted to hire his father to work as an assistant to head coach Larry Krystkowiak, but was unable to do so either because Del's price tag was too high or, in a more likely scenario, that the rift between Del Harris and Sen. Herb Kohl presented too big an obstacle.

Larry Krystkowiak, who played for Del and respects him greatly, could have used an experienced sounding board during his first full season. Del Harris has seen just about everything in the NBA. Maybe his experience with the Shaq and Kobe show in Los Angeles would have helped the Bucks mend the team's Bermuda triangle (Redd-Williams-Bogut) that seemed to torpedo the team's chemistry and cohesiveness.

The Bucks seem like the Brewers circa 2001. It is becoming apparent that changing coaches and general managers is not the answer. The culture of the franchise needs an overhaul and a thorough housecleaning, up to and including the owner's office, may be the only thing that helps reignite fan interest.

What's brewing: The defense may be a little shaky. The pitching looks a tad thin. The infield hasn't been intact in awhile because of Rickie Weeks' hand, Ryan Braun's Achilles' tendon and J.J. Hardy's battle with the flu. The back end of the bullpen could be a nightly rollercoaster ride.

With all that said, this Brewers team looks ready to rock and roll.

With Prince Fielder and Braun in the middle of the lineup, the Brewers' offense has a "strike-at-any-time" feel that hasn't been evident since the days of Yount-Molitor-Cooper-Thomas-Simmons, etc.

Looking for a few reasons to be optimistic? Here are five:

1. Ben Sheets is healthy, strong and working in a contract year.

2. Mike Cameron adds a first-to-third baserunning aggressiveness and pizzazz that the team has lacked in recent years. "First to third is an attitude," manager Ned Yost said.

3. Shortstop Alcides Escobar looks like the real deal. He has a lot of growing to do as a hitter, but his defense is outstanding. "He's going to be a big-league player," veteran Craig Counsell said. "He's still growing into his body a bit. He's going to have to hit. But, his defense is there already."

4. If Manny Parra doesn't make the big-league roster out of camp, he'll be tucked away in Nashville, ready to help in the way that Carlos Villanueva and Yovani Gallardo did last season.

5. Tony Gwynn, Jr., who is likely to patrol center field while Cameron serves a 25-game suspension, continues to make strides at the plate.

The Brewers will be at Miller Park for a pair of exhibition games against Kansas City next week. "I can't wait," Braun said. "It's going to be fun."

Midseason form: Braun, who missed four games with a strained Achilles tendon, didn't need much time to get back in the swing. Braun doubled on Thursday night and belted a three-run homer off Padres ace Jake Peavy on Friday. Fielder also hit a laser-beam double against Peavy.

Slight alteration: Counsell has adjusted his unorthodox batting stance, dropping his hands slightly, reducing the bat waggle and taking a wider base.

Counsell started working on it over the winter and said he feels "pretty good" about the results.

"I'm basically trying to be more still with my head," he said. "I wanted to keep things simple. When you're not playing a lot, it can be hard to get in a groove. It's hard to make changes during the season, anyway, but it's harder when you're not playing every day."

Tall order: Marquette played a solid game against Kentucky and walked away with a hard-earned victory, the first in a tournament since Dywane Wade departed. The Golden Eagles will need to have another good day in order to get past Stanford today.

Remember the energy and execution Marquette displayed in a victory over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center? It's going to take that kind of effort to advance to the Sweet 16.

Moving on? Kansas State was impressive in a victory over USC, but Wisconsin should have the edge. It will be interesting to see how the game is officiated. Michael Flowers gets many of the accolades, but Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft could hold the key to victory today.