As if having a team that's 10 games over .500 and has an eight-game lead in the National League Central Division isn't enough of an indicator, the Brewers have taken another step toward showing people that their days as a downtrodden franchise are coming to an abrupt end.

On Wednesday, four members of the team were guest stars on the popular CBS soap opera, "The Young and the Restless". J.J. Hardy, Jeff Suppan, Chris Capuano, and Bill Hall showed up in support of Jack Abbot's campaign for Wisconsin State Senate. The show is based in a fictional version of Genoa City, Wisconsin.

Abbot, played by longtime star Peter Bergman, was posing for a picture for the foursome when his ex-wife, Phyllis Newman (played by Michelle Stafford) burst into the room with excitement.

Capuano, who was razzed by teammates for a prolonged, below-the-neck gaze at Newman, gave Abbot a lesson on pitching. He and Suppan showed him how to properly grip a fastball, leading Abbot to remark that he could follow the team to the World Series. Corny, yes, but Capuano thinks it was a great experience for the players, the team, and the franchise, itself.

"I think we represented the Brewers pretty well," Capuano said. "We got an advance copy of it and the four of us watched it together. Then, we watched it with the whole team together. There was some pretty good trash talking going on. (Geoff) Jenkins had a few things to say. But, for the most part everybody thought it was pretty good. I think we did OK. J.J. had the one really corny line, but I think he pulled it off."

Newman rattled off stats about Suppan's performance in Game Four of last year's World Series and explained how excited she was –- as a longtime Brewers fan –- about Hall's go-ahead homer against Pittsburgh.

Brewers manager Ned Yost said he didn't watch the episode, but heard the commotion in the clubhouse and was glad the guys had fun: "I love that, that they're able to do that," Yost said. "You've got to be able to have that chemistry and camaraderie and be able to have fun with each other and sit there and enjoy each other like that. It's a must."

Their appearance, though brief, is a perfect illustration of just how far this team has come. It's just the latest in a week-long string of events that have put the Brewers –- and Milwaukee -– on the national radar.

For your consideration:

• Earlier this week, first baseman Prince Fielder made the highlight reels by recording an inside-the-park home run during a 10-inning, 10-9 loss at Minnesota. Fielder, who is the National League leader in home runs, runs batted in, and slugging percentage, currently leads fan balloting for a starting spot in the All-Star Game. Fielder could become the Brewers' first fan-elected All Star starter since Paul Molitor in 1988.
• The very next day, Jim Rome was talking to the Arizona Diamondback's Eric Byrnes about his season. During the conversation on the nationally-syndicated Jim Rome show, Byrnes talked about an off-season racquetball game between himself and Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy. In the past, if a player mentioned a Brewer during a conversation, there would be an inevitable pause before somebody would mention that the person played for Milwaukee. This time, though, the conversation just continued. Hardy, like the first-place Brewers themselves, aren't just a group of baseball players known only to the people who trek out to Miller Park these days.
• Later in the day, Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon dedicated a segment of their ESPN program "Pardon the Interruption" to discussing who was a bigger lock for Most Valuable Player honors; the Yankees' Alex Rodreiguez, or Fielder.

The soap opera appearance seemed to provide the biggest jolt for players and fans. Between innings of the Brewers' 7-5 victory over San Francisco at Miller Park, the scene was played on the scoreboard for the crowd of more than 35,151 in attendance.

A crowd of 35,151 on a Wednesday afternoon; just another sign that these aren't the Brewers we used to know.