Somebody needs to tell the always exuberant, occasionally overzealous Milwaukee Brewers that the phrase “fighting for a playoff berth” is a figure of speech.

Traditionally, that “somebody” would be the manager.

Nero fiddled. Yost yawned.

I can’t recall how the Roman Caesars fared that year, but I can tell you where the Brewers will be if manager Ned Yost doesn’t pull his team together.

They’ll be watching the National League playoffs instead of participating in them.

The Brewers’ youth has been a crutch all season.

Now, in early August, it doubles as the most dangerous weapon in the clubhouse. They can lean on it. They can hit each other over their batting helmets with it.

Or they can get over it and give the Chicago Cubs a worthy pennant race.

On Monday night, pitcher Manny Parra and heavyweight Prince Fielder got into an ugly altercation during a 6-3 loss at Cincinnati. On Tuesday night, Fielder apologized and slammed a home run - rather than a teammate - in an 8-1 rout of the Reds.

So which is it going to be from here on out?