Notes on the NLCS: It's Your Duty, Judy, to Not Give Up on the Season

It's been a disappointing NLCS for the Mets, but I'm far from ready to deliver a concession speech. I'd rather be trailing 3-2 to the 2006 Cardinals than to the 1986 Red Sox with Roger Clemens, and we all remember how that one worked out. Now, I would like to share my thoughts about the Mets-Cardinals series so far.

1. If I'm Tony LaRussa, I don't pitch Chris Carpenter in Game 6. Instead, I try to win with another pitcher and have Carpenter available to start Game 1 of the World Series. St. Louis has received excellent starting pitching in the NLCS from Jeff Suppan and Jeff Weaver, but I think their best bet in the World Series is to pitch Carpenter three times in a 7 game set. LaRussa did something similar at the end of the regular season. The Cardinals magic number was one, meaning they needed either to win or have a loss by Houston on the final day of the season to capture the National League Central title. It was Carpenter's turn to pitch, but LaRussa held him back, figuring that he had two chances to win without Carpenter, and he could save his ace for Game 1 of the NLDS, or in a worst-case scenario, pitch Carpenter in a makeup game against the Giants. Atlanta beat Houston, making LaRussa's gamble pay off.

2. Willie Randolph has done an excellent job with his pitching staff, not so well with his hitters, defense and bench. He has been aggressive with his bullpen, managing with the intent to win today and to worry about tomorrow at a later point. And that's how you manage in the post-season. If only Willie would manage the rest of the game that way. I'm not sure which is worse: carrying Michael Tucker on the post-season roster or actually using him as a pinch-hitter. Cliff Floyd being virtually unusable has tied Randolph's hands in a number of ways. Combined with the need to carry extra pitchers, Randolph has been left with very little offensive options. But you have to play the hand you have, and that's been hurt by his use of….