Fans who attend Brewers' games in September will come closer to seeing the team that was supposed to take the field than any time since May.

Geoff Jenkins returned this week from the disabled list. Tyler Houston did a rehab assignment in Beloit and is expecting to be activated this weekend.

Jeff D'Amico and Mark Leiter could pitch soon. Jimmy Haynes doesn't expect to spend a long time on the DL. Ben Sheets also could return for a start or two in September. Sheets is expected to throw off the mound in the bullpen this weekend.

The Brewers still will not reach full strength. Jeffrey Hammonds, Paul Rigdon and Raul Casanova have had season-ending surgery and won't be back until next spring. Ron Belliard still can't run because of his ankle sprain and likely will not return. Rookie Nick Neugebauer might take the rest of the season off rather than push his sore shoulder.

GM Dean Taylor and Davey Lopes undoubtedly will try to assess a few things during the month. Can Houston be counted on as their third baseman next season or should he be used as trade bait this off-season?

D'Amico is signed only through this season. Is it time to let the injury-riddled pitcher go, or is it worth trying to sign him again for a bargain price?

Haynes also is signed only through this season. Do you sign him and then trade him? What about Lou Collier, who has played well since he was called up late in the season? Could he help spell Hammonds next season and also provide depth in the infield?

Should the Brewers buy out Devon White's last season and let him go elsewhere, or is it worth keeping the veteran as insurance for another season?

The Brewers definitely can't afford to stand pat over the off-season. But, if they want to make intelligent moves, they have to first know what they have on the current team. They should be able to get a little better idea of that during September.

The Brewers set the all-time Milwaukee attendance record this week when they went past the 2.4 million mark. They surpassed the 1983 Brewers, who drew 2,397,131.

Sara Eldredge of Menomonee Falls was the Amoco Fan of the Game on Wednesday, when the record was set, and received a trip for four to spring training in 2002.

The Brewers will fall short of the anticipated 3 million, a prediction CEO Wendy Selig-Prieb should never had made to begin with. But, the team should reach 2.8 million, even though there will be plenty of no-shows in September.

Now the challenge is to not fall off too badly next season. To avoid that, Taylor is going to have to do his job and make the Brewers more competitive.

The groundbreaking was held Thursday for a youth ballpark on the site of the former County Stadium. Players in the Little Hitters League, Girls of Summer and RBI (Reviving Baseball In Inner Cities) League will play in the facility next season.

It's a great way of keeping the memory of County Stadium alive. Kids will play where some of the greats of the game once played.

Richie Sexson and Geoff Jenkins share the honor this week. Sexson set a career high in homers with his 31st, 32nd and 33rd in the series with the Pirates and extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games. Sexson also could go over 100 RBI in the next week. If he can cut down on his strikeouts next season, the big guy could become an All Star.

Jenkins came off the DL and had a hit in his first game. In his second game, he had two doubles and a RBI. If he can stay healthy, Jenkins too could become an All Star.

Nancy Allan, 73, of Greenfield, made three of them when she got three foul balls while sitting in Section 224 Monday night. The Brewers might want to see if she can hit too.

An odd play also happened Wednesday night. With Sexson on first and Jeromy Burnitz on third, Jenkins grounded to the second baseman Pat Meares, who started running Sexson back to first base.

Meares then abandoned the chase and threw out Jenkins. But, the Pirates never tagged Sexson and were late in trying to catch Burnitz off third. The result was a 4-3 putout, with runners remaining at their bases...a very rare play.

Curtis Leskanic, who gave up three runs in the eighth inning Tuesday night and turned a 4-3 lead into a 6-4 deficit.

The Brewers took two of three against the Pirates to win their first series at Miller Park since May 22-24. Now, the NL Central leaders, the Houston Astros, come to town for a Labor Day weekend series.

Rocky Coppinger will make his second start on Sunday, against the Astros' Wade Miller. Jamey Wright will start Friday and Ruben Quevedo Saturday. The Brewers could play the spoiler role like they did in Wrigley against the Cubs last week.

Because of the Labor Day holiday, the next Brew Crew Review column will run on Tuesday rather than Monday.