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It has been a good week for economic news. Here's a quick rundown of the positive signs: Home prices showed their best gains in seven years. Consumer confidence hit a five-year high. The stock market set a new record. All just this week.

"We're seeing progress," President Obama said in the White House Rose Garden on Friday morning, "and the economy is starting to pick up steam. The gears are starting to turn again, and we're getting some traction."

You could tell from the tone of his voice that he was leading up to a "but."

"But the thing is, the way we measure our progress as a country is not just where the stock market is," the president added.

He went on to say that too many people in the middle class are still struggling. And that pivot — from glass half-full to glass half-empty — captures the tricky dance a president must do at a time like this.

"I think the American people very much can understand that things are improving," says Gene Sperling, who directs the White House's National Economic Council. "But they also understand they're not good enough. So I don't think there's many people out there who think that the United States Congress should be declaring 'mission accomplished' right now."

That reference to Congress is important. The White House has a long list of economic boosters it wants Congress to deploy — from building new infrastructure to rolling back the budget cuts known as the sequester. The administration's problem is that the better the economic news gets, the less pressure Congress feels to act.

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Russian media has hinted that Moscow could speed up delivery of S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Syria if the U.S. and its allies decide to impose a no-fly zone to aid rebels there. Meanwhile, a Russian airplane maker says Syria is discussing the purchase of additional MiG-29 fighters.

A Russian arms industry source quoted by Interfax news agency says Moscow could hasten delivery of the S-300 to Syria, even though the missiles would still take months to arrive.

"Regarding the deliveries of the S-300, they can begin no earlier than the autumn," the source told Interfax. "Technically it's possible, but much will depend on how the situation develops in the region and the position of Western countries."

Reuters also reports that Moscow plans to fulfill a 2007 contract with Syria to deliver 10 MiG-29 fighters. The MiG aircraft maker says a deal is being discussed for the purchase of about 10 more of the fighter jets. Presumably such a contract would take months, perhaps years, to fulfill.

The talk of arms shipments to Damascas comes at an inopportune time. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports that Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, have struggled to turn a new page in relations between the former Cold War rivals.

This week, Lavrov described as "odious" a U.S. co-sponsored resolution criticizing Syria at the United Nations Human Rights Council. He also said President Obama's hint that a no-fly zone might be considered had ruined the atmosphere for Syrian peace talks. Lavrov urged the U.S. to persuade Syrian opposition figures to drop demands for Assad to step down.

Meanwhile, Kerry has criticized Russian's talk of arming the regime with advanced missiles that he says threaten Israel.

The S-300 missiles comprise Russia's top-of-the-line long-range air defense system, Robert Hewson, editor of IHS Jane's air-launched weapons, tells NPR.

"It is a feared and potentially very capable system so it adds a whole new layer of complexity to anyone who is planning to be flying over downtown Damascus," he says.

Frank Deford puts aside his gripes this week to pay tribute to the poem by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, first published in the San Francisco Examiner 125 years ago June 3.

The Outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:
The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play.
And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,
A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest
Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;
They thought, if only Casey could get but a whack at that —
We'd put up even money, now, with Casey at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake,
And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake;
So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all,
And Blake, the much despis-ed, tore the cover off the ball;
And when the dust had lifted, and the men saw what had occurred,
There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell;
It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;
It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,
For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was ease in Casey's manner as he stepped into his place;
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile on Casey's face.
And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt;
Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt.
Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,
Defiance gleamed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped —
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one," the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted someone on the stand;
And its likely they'd a-killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, "Strike two."

"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud;
But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.
They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from Casey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.

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