In the ongoing survey of the season, finding this way and that, this way and that way the Brewers are finding ways to beat teams consistently.

My money is still on the walks.

Batters (2217 PA): 68 HR, 230 BB, 463 K (29 HBP)

Pitchers (2192 PA): 66 HR, 206 BB, 405 K (28 HBP)

The key, it seems to me, is that the offense does not rely on the ball in play extensively, which means that with a high HR and BB total, they can regularly control their offensive output even when other situational aspects fail (as much as that drives me crazy sometimes). 

Remind yourself that RISP baseball is only one way to play the game, and that what matters overall is scoring and preventing runs. If you can build a team that scores runs without depending upon RISP hitting, that gives your team a different type of weapon, which of course is overshadowed by most fans' insisting that they be given a "clutch" ballclub.

Isn't hitting a solo home run a clutch play? In terms of perceived run scoring potential -- as well as expected runs -- hitting with the bases empty isn't an inviting runs scoring situation, which is precisely what makes it clutch. Improving a poor runs expected situation is equally as important as hitting in RISP situations (if not more important; for adding the threat of a solo home run can promise to change the game at any point and time without the trouble of stringing together hits and building a rally. Of course, there are also simply more PA with the bases empty. Maximizing those PA adds another offensive weapon).

Every talks about baseball as though sustaining innings is the best way to score runs, and I agree that there is nothing more exciting; but wouldn't you also want an offense that could threaten to score at any point and time?

The Brewers, in this regard, are distributing their home runs very well; they are hitting almost as many home runs with men on as bases empty (before yesterday's game, they hit 35 solo home runs and 32 home runs with men on).

This type of offensive threat increases the Brewers' run-scoring ability, albeit in ways that are not usually championed by the press, players themselves, or fans.