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(AP) -- Kyle Lohse got to bed at 5:30 a.m. after theSt. Louis Cardinals' flight from a most unpleasant end to the NL championship series against the San Francisco Giants.

Fatigue only added to the aftershock of a spectacular nosedive as players cleaned out their lockers Tuesday.

It might be the final time for Lohse, who confessed to being a bit "delirious" from lack of sleep while discussing his future.

Coming off his best season, the 16-game winner heads into free agency for the second time.

There have been no contract conversations with the Cardinals, who might not be able to fit him into the budget.

Nearly everyone else will return next year for another try. They will need a while to purge the awful taste of blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Giants and missing a chance to defend their World Series title.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)