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Dog days: Roughly 2 ½ months ago, the red-hot Brewers traveled to Los Angeles and a bunch of their players took part in a soap opera. The visit created an avalanche of publicity and good will.

This week, the ice-cold Brewers staged an impromptu soap opera in the tunnel leading from the dugout to the clubhouse at Miller Park.

Once again, there was an avalanche of publicity.

Good will?

Not so much.

In case you missed it, the episode -- which could accurately be called an incident, fracas, brouhaha or dust-up-took place midway through the seventh inning of the Brewers' 12-4 loss to the Mets.

The Brewers were on their way to another in a string of frustrating losses on a sweltering afternoon when frustrated manager Ned Yost chose to vent anger. Yost jumped on one player (our sources tell us that it was shortstop J.J. Hardy, who had made an error in the field) and used that as a springboard to lambaste his entire team for its lackluster play.

Reports indicate that Tony Graffanino took offense to Yost's comments, particularly those directed toward Hardy. Graffanino and Yost exchanged words, then catcher Johnny Estrada stepped in and confronted Yost.

The conversations, conducted a high volume, were heated. The parties moved toward each other, but were separated before any physical confrontations took place.

Order was restored quickly, but the action was captured by TV cameras.

During a post-game press conference that lasted about 90 seconds, Yost said: "I think there was some frustration expressed on a number of different sides about our style of play and about the way we've been playing. We handled it and took care of it, like good teams do."

There were two problems with that statement. First, the Brewers haven't looked like a "good team" since the all-star break. Second, Yost's line about "frustration about our style of play," led some to believe that a mutiny had begun or that Estrada, who came to town with a reputation for being a divisive force in the clubhouse, was up to his old tricks.

Neither of the aforementioned theories sees true, but in the absence of concrete information (players circled the wagons and collectively clammed up after the game), fans and reporters are left to draw their own conclusions.

Yost wisely added some clarifying details in a subsequent interview with Journal Sentinel baseball writer Tom Haudricourt, who published them in the morning paper Friday morning.

What can we make of this entire episode? A few things:

Everybody connected with the Brewers, from Yost to the clubhouse attendants, is unhappy with the way the team has performed in recent weeks. While not shocking, that response seems appropriate.

When Yost vented his frustration, Graffanino and Estrada answered him. While some may view this as gross disrespect or insubordination, you could also call it "showing a backbone." Look at it this way: If Yost had lashed out at his team and been met with glazed-over stares, he likely would have concluded that the season is over. The fact that two older players stepped forward on a team that has been led primarily by younger players, means that all is not lost.

Dustups like this happen periodically throughout the baseball season, on good teams and bad. Whether it is in the weight room, the batting cage or at the card table, tempers often flare. Players and coaches live in close quarters for about eight months. (The dynamic that develops is not unlike a family. You may holler at and fight with your little brother one day, but you protect him from the neighborhood bully the next.)

The bottom line? If the Brewers rally and win the Central Division title, "Dugoutgate" will be regarded as a turning point in the season. If the team tanks, it could be viewed as the beginning of the end.

Right now, we're convinced that the season really starts Aug. 28, when the Brewers begin a three-game series with the Cubs at Wrigley Field. If the teams are close going into what is unfortunately their final head-to-head meeting of the regular season, the soap opera is only going to get more interesting.

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