There's no argument you can make that Chris Smith or David Pauley are better options than Mike Timlin. They all absolutely suck and as a manager, if you're forced to have either one of those three on the mound in the 14th inning, which Tito was, you just close your eyes and hope for the best.
It's very easy to blame Tito for leaving Timlin on the hill but the fact is, the chances of Smith or Pauley s***ing the bed were just as good, if not better.