OMC: And at home, you are literally the man of the house; surrounded by women.

BS: Yup. I've got three daughters. Hailey is 15, Emmy is 12 and Daisy is 11 months. I'm way, way outnumbered. The oldest turns 16 in January.

OMC: Peoria isn't that far of a drive from Milwaukee. I would imagine that you get to see your family a lot. Do they stay with you during the season?

BS: For the most part, summers are spent here. The great thing is we're so close to home -- it's a little more than a three-hour drive -- so when I go on the road during the summer, a lot of times they'll go back home and spend time with their friends. When I come back to Milwaukee, they come back it. It's great having them around. Now that school started, they come on weekends when we're home.

OMC: Having them around has got to make things much easier on you, considering the travel and other time commitments of a major league season.

BS: It's real nice. It works out so great. We get to be together a lot more than a lot of baseball families.

OMC: It seems like you've really established yourself in the Milwaukee bullpen. You've pitched in a number of different roles since you've come here. Is it refreshing in a way, to know you have a place?

BS: It's nice, but I don't take it for granted, either. You can't in this game. I think that's something that keeps me motivated, determined and young at heart. I like the competitiveness of being out here, going out and trying to win a job every spring, during your job during the season. I don't have the luxury of a nice, long-term contract. When you go year-to-year, you have to perform.

OMC: What was Japan like?

BS: It was a big, big cultural shock. Things there, obviously, are much, much different than they are here. The way they look at you, the way things are done ... it makes you appreciate the things you have here and the things you're able to do here. The language barrier, the food barrier ... all that stuff is so different than anything we're used to.

OMC: The game itself is different there, too.

BS: It is. The way they play is different. As soon as they have somebody on, they're bunting right away where we try to sit back and wait for the home run more. They're theory is being the first one there; last one to leave is how you get better. Here we stress getting quality work in then getting out.

OMC: It's a long way to go to follow a dream. Looking back, was it worth it?

BS: It was a good experience. I learned a lot about myself. I learned a lot about pitching. I learned that baseball isn't the most important thing. When you realize that, it makes the game easier and more fun.

OMC: How did you end up in Japan, anyway?

BS: I hadn't made any money in the game yet. I was with Boston at the time. They had just sent me down to Triple-A at the time and couldn't guarantee that I would come back up. They did guarantee they weren't going to trade me. I was able to go there for three months and make more than I would have if I had stayed here. I had to go, basically for the money, but I could continue to still play if I came back. I learned to pitch better, so it was good for me in that aspect.

OMC: You're pitching now for the Brewers, who are in the middle of a playoff race. You have to be having the time of your life out there.

BS: It's a blast. This is what our goal was -- to make the playoffs this year. It's a great run this year, it's exciting. We've got about 33 games left and we'll see what happens.

OMC: Have you been to the playoffs before?

BS: I have not. That's part of the fun for me.

OMC: When you're not pitching, what are you doing to have fun, relax or just pass the time?

BS: I'm not a very adventurous guy. I spend a lot of time taking the kids to and from school. I play ping-pong with my father-in-law, do odds and ends around the house; I help the in-laws with different things. I spend a lot of time just being a dad. With Daisy, you have to watch over her a lot during the day. I spend time with Trish and try to give her some time off, too. I spend a lot of time just being dad and being Trish's husband.