Welcome to Saturday Scorecard. Has anyone seen Carlos Villanueva's mojo? He seems to have misplaced it. Come to think of it, the rest of the Brewers are missing their swagger these days, too. Here are some points to ponder while the search continues and the All-Star break approaches.

No cigar: The most frustrating thing about the Brewers' loss to the Dodgers on Friday night was not Trevor Hoffman's hiccup, Villanueva's meltdown or Manny Ramirez's historic homer (he tied Mickey Mantle on the all-time list with 536).

The most frustrating aspect of the loss was how close the Brewers came to one of their most uplifting victories of the season. Rookie Mat Gamel's eighth-inning homer (off lefty Brent Leach) could have been a catalyst for a face-saving, spirit boosting sprint into the break.

"We couldn't close it out," manager Ken Macha said.

Hoffman gave up the tying run in the ninth. Villanueva got shelled in the tenth and and has now given up eight runs in his last one-third of an inning, sending his ERA to 6.41.

"One day he goes out and he's bad then he runs off a couple, three (good) games," Macha said. "Then (Thursday) he wasn't very good and he threw five pitches.

"I think the thing that concerns me is you don't know what you're going to get."

Villanueva's worst outings have come on the second day of back-to-back stints, when his slider flattens out and loses its bite. In 11 such appearances (he's pitched on three consecutive days twice), he is 1-3 with a 10.61 ERA.

Help wanted: The Brewers need a dose of leadership right now, and not the kind that comes from half-cocked media comments, closed-door meetings or similar venues.

They need a two-out hit with a man on second (see Braun in the ninth inning last night). They need a five-hit shutout. They need Hoffman to bounce back and record a six- or seven-pitch save.

They need Prince Fielder to have a two-homer game and J.J. Hardy, Corey Hart (when he's healthy) and Bill Hall to at least approach pre-season expectations.

Leadership can come from the front office, too. It's almost certain that general manager Doug Melvin will have to make a trade in order for his team to remain in contention. Even a minor deal, like Jody Gerut for a bag of potato chips, can boost a team's spirit.

In the next two days and next week in Cincinnati, somebody is going to have to step forward like Charlie Steiner in the old ESPN commercial and say "Follow me! Follow me to freedom!" or it's going to be a long second half.

Larry King Lounge: Five weeks from tonight, the Packers host the Browns in the Midwest Shrine Game at Lambeau Field.... Brewers fans booed Ramirez at every opportunity Friday.... Bill Hall, whose first name for most of the season has been "Slumping," seems to have returned to a previous incarnation of his stance with the bat resting on his shoulder. Hall drew a walk in a pinch-hit appearance Friday. You have to take encouragement where you can get it... On the bright side, the Brewers forced Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton to throw 28 pitches.... Brewers outfielder Frank Catalanotto, starting while Corey Hart nurses a sore foot, had fans singing along with his at-bat intro song, "Your Love" by the Outfield... Stat of the Day -- J.J. Hardy has swung at the first pitch 20 times in 331 plate appearances this season.... For those of you keeping track, and you know who you are, the Hot Dog is leading the Sausage Race standings with 13 victories, followed by the Brat and Italian (10), Chorizo (8) and Polish (5).... A little free advice for the caller to Lowe's Extra Innings on 540 ESPN who asked if Hoffman should lose his closer's job after Friday: step away from the crack pipe.... Look for forward Lazar Hayward to have a huge season for Marquette. He's gaining experience and confidence playing the USA in the World University Games.... An early report from a fan who watched Brandon Jennings' Summer League debut for the Bucks: "He's really fast. He can't shoot.".... The Admirals' annual garage sale runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the West Atrium of the Bradley Center. It's a great place to pick up jerseys, T-shirts, skates, nameplates and other cool stuff... Tryouts for the Bucks' Energee! Dance Team begin at 6:30 p.m. on July 22 at the team's training center in St. Francis. Callbacks are the following night. Go to Bucks.com for more details.... TBS is broadcasting the Brewers-Dodgers game Sunday, which explains why Chip Caray and Buck Martinez are in town this weekend.... Some hardcore fans are worried about the recruiting efforts of the UW football program this summer.... Phillies lefty Jack Taschner, a local kid whom the Brewers may or may not have expressed interest in acquiring earlier this year, was designated for assignment.