Then my mind went dark... we both forgot where your car was parked...

Is it just me, or is Phil Garner ridiculously bad at managing his roster? I'm putting the blame for every one of the Astros' losses not on the actual team (that would be too easy) but on the former Brewer himself.

Let's review what happened in Game 3:

Who pitched, and when...

1) Roy Oswalt, for six innings.

- This is the real cause for the disturbance, as Oswalt was notably off and should have, to use a phrase we can all understand, "been cut off" after the game was tied, or maybe after he allowed five of those eight baserunners to reach in the fifth. I, more than anyone else, am preaching that Oswalt is "the truth," but frankly, you gotta win any way you can, and if that means setting "the truth" free for the night, then so be it.

2) Russ Springer, for one inning.

- Pinch-hitting Bagwell for him is fine.

3) Dan Wheeler, for an inning and a third.

- Yeah, you could've left Dan in. I think he was good to go...

4) Mike Gallo, for one batter.

- Nice way to burn a pitcher... but hey, Ozzie did it too...

5) Brad Lidge, four hitters.

- This is my major gripe... Lidge was mowing down the ChiSox, but a nervous Garner took him out, not wanting to... a) damage his psyche, b) let him hit... either way, Lidge had to pitch more... especially since Garner knew at this point that he'd already fried half the 'pen...

6) Chad Qualls, three innings.

- I think he should have pitched more... he also should have hit... knowing who you had left, Qualls was the best.

7) Astacio, 8) Rodriguez.

- And I think it's been duly noted that Pettitte could have pitched. After all, the Astros had to win...

So what does Ozzie Guillen do? He pushes the "whatever" button, lets Geoff Blum take a whack at Astacio, and that's the ballgame. Knowing that Astacio was only AAA quality, Guillen figured, "Hey, it's the 14th, I'm about out of hitters, let's let this guy hit..."

Then he does what Garner didn't by putting in Mark Buehrle, his reasoning probably involving something to the effect of "he gives me the best chance to win."

But hey, this isn't the first Phil Garner mismanagement of a lineup we've seen... see this.

Whatever the case may be, I'm starting to think that we should just hide the lineup card from Phil Garner and let Bagwell and Biggio make the calls... after all, they probably know the 'Stros better than anyone.

On a side note, it's the bottom of the third, with no runs given up by Brandon Backe. That guy can sort of pitch in the postseason. I think somebody should reward him with a Jaret Wright-like contract. That would be prudent.