The goal of the 2006 Milwaukee Brewers was to improve upon last year’s number of wins, and in the process contend for a wild card berth into the playoffs. Since this is a goal that is no longer attainable, some skeptics wonder what’s left to play for.

Besides the obvious — it is their job to show up and perform for all 162 games on the schedule — the Brewers can accomplish something else in the next week and a half. Much like Tony Montana in “Scarface,” this team can play the role of the bad guy.

Starting today, Milwaukee has a stretch of eight straight games at Miller Park versus two teams fighting for a playoff spot.

The first of these two is division foe St. Louis. The Cardinals have pretty much had the Brewers’ number since, well, since Milwaukee joined the National League Central Division.

While St. Louis currently sits atop the NL Central after a recent collapse by the Cincinnati Reds, they still remain only 4.5 games up on the competition. Should the Brewers somehow take two of three, or even manage to pull off the unthinkable and sweep the Cards, things could suddenly get very interesting.

This year’s Cardinals are not the same dominating group of players of the past who at one time were able to lock up the division by mid July. The injury bug has struck this team early and often, making it difficult to gain any kind of consistency.

If the Brewers can expose this and continue the success they have had at home this year, it won’t be the friendly confines of Miller Park that St. Louis has grown accustomed to.

The second of two teams left to visit Milwaukee, the San Francisco Giants, also still hold a chance at making the postseason. Led by a surging Barry Bonds, the Giants appear to be coming together at just the right time. The Giants trail a shaky Los Angeles Dodgers team by four games in the NL West, and are only 2.5 back in the wild card.

Milwaukee has four opportunities to make things difficult for San Francisco, and Brewers players looking to make next year’s roster should have no trouble getting pumped up to showcase their abilities. So what is the Brewers’ mentality for the next few weeks?

Simple: “Make way for the bad guy.”

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