Cordero has a major-league high 14 saves in 14 opportunities, and gave up his first earned run of the season Tuesday against Washington when his wild pitch scored Robert Fisk from third. Cordero’s emergence has been a kick in the pants for former closer Derrick Turnbow. With a 1.88 ERA as Cordero’s setup man, Turnbow is back to the form he exhibited before a ghastly second half of 2005, when he had a 13.06 ERA over his last 27 games, after being chosen for the All-Star team.

Turnbow’s sudden dive is not unique among members of this Brewer team. In fact, Capuano last season started 10-4 with a 3.21 ERA, then after the All-Star break went 1-8 with a 5.17 ERA. Those tales serve as a warning that while Milwaukee is flying high, this young team is capable of crashing.

What might be a little disconcerting for the long run is the number of journeymen on the Brewers who are off to hot starts. Suppan’s start is but one example. Another starting pitcher, Claudio Vargas, who turns 29 in June, is 3-0 with a 2.89 ERA a year following his career-best ERA — 4.83. Catcher Johnny Estrada, acquired with Vargas from Arizona for starting pitcher Doug Davis, is hitting well (.314) as he has in past seasons, but he has had problems staying healthy. Mench and Jenkins are hitting .300 or better, a rarefied air with which they’re not terribly familiar. Even Cordero, who had been an All-Star at Texas, has to start giving up more runs eventually.

Plus, the Brewers’ lineup still has a gaping hole at third base. Veteran utility infielders Craig Counsell and Tony Graffanino are platooning, and each struggling to keep his batting average above the Mendoza line. Melvin is under great pressure from fans to call up Ryan Braun, a hot hitter whose defense is deemed not ready for the majors.

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Then again, Braun’s current presence in Nashville instead of Milwaukee highlights the depth of the Brewers’ lineup, something they haven’t had since Paul Molitor left town. If, say, Cordero or Turnbow falters, there is a 23-year-old Carlos Villaneuva (3-0, 2.79 as a middle reliever) who
might be ready to step in. Braun doesn’t have to be rushed to the big leagues because the rest of the team can make up for Counsell and Graffanino’s lack of offensive production.

Watching the Brewers’ turnaround, fans in Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and other places with baseball management that is perennially awful and cheap must wonder why their teams can’t do what the Brewers are doing. It’s not just about the money. But a little more spending can go a long way when the ones spending it have some clue as to what they’re
doing.

For that reason alone, even if Milwaukee stumbles a bit (and that could happen with a May 11-27 stretch of 10 road games in 13 days, none of them against relatively weak NL Central counterparts), the Brewers won’t be down for another 15 years.

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