Game 160 Preview: New York Mets @ Miami Marlins

The Miami Marlins will look to finish the season strong as they once again get the New York Mets in a three-game set to close out the 2012 campaign. For the Fish, it has been a miserable season, and the #minorvictory for these final three games would be to get some encouraging performances and win a couple of games to finish the year.

Those encouraging performances will hopefully start tonight, as the Fish send Wade LeBlanc to the mound for his final start of the year opposite Mets prospect Jeurys Familia.

Pitching Matchup

Josh Johnson is about to pass his most significant milestone of the 2012 season. No, a lot of his numbers are lacking this year compared to years prior, but the one important thing tonight is that Johnson will have made 32 starts by the end of tonight's game. If nothing else, it will have been a full, healthy season for Johnson, decreased effectiveness and all, and that is at least worth celebrating.

I was going to say all of those things until I found out that Wade LeBlanc was making tonight's start. The Marlins have chosen to shut down Josh Johnson for the season one start shy of the 32-start mark.

Jeurys Familia was ranked pretty highly among Mets prospects this season, but not at the level of guys like Matt Harvey and Zack Wheeler. Familia has worked eight innings out of the bullpen to mostly mixed results thus far.

Lineup

Bold Prediction: Mets def. Marlins 4-2