The Mets led by Oliver Perez take on the Marlins and Ricky Nolasco this evening. 

Keys to the Game:

• Insurance Runs.  As we’ve all seen, the Mets bullpen has been blowing leads game after game lately.  On Tuesday, the Mets were able to keep the lead despite allowing a 3-run HR in the ninth because they tacked on insurance runs late in the game.  The entire season the Mets have been scoring most of their runs early in games, while failing to tack on extra runs late.  Ideally, the bullpen should be able to hold onto a lead once in a while, but just in case the Mets need to score some extra runs late. 
• Let Ollie loose.  In the past week, manager Jerry Manuel has pulled Mike Pelfrey and Johan Santana in situations where they had the lead, were pitching very well, and seemed as if they were posed to pitch deeper into the game.  In Pelfrey’s start, the bullpen almost blew the lead (they would have if it weren’t for the insurance runs), and in Johan’s start the bullpen did what it does best: successfully blew the lead.  If Perez is pitching well without having thrown way too many pitches, let him keep on pitching. 

The game can be seen on SNY, listened to on 660 WFAN on  your AM radio dial with first pitch at 7:10 pm. 

For in-game chatter and banter, head over to the Hot Foot Bleachers. 

For a full lineup, head over to Adam Rubin’s blog Surfing the Mets. 

In my household, there will be some serious flipping going on in between the Mets and the Olympics.