The Mets are playing two games today, but all eyes are on Port St. Lucie where Johan Santana will make the start against St. Louis. Here are the Mets’ lineups for today’s split-squad games:
St. Louis at Mets
2. Jordany Valdespin, 2B
3. Jason Bay, DH
4. Ike Davis, 1B
5. Justin Turner, 3B
6. Josh Thole, C
7. Adam Loewen, LF
8. Mike Baxter, RF
9. Ronny Cedeno, SSLHP Johan Santana will get the start and is scheduled to pitch two innings and no more than 35 pitches, according to pitching coach Dan Warthen.
Also expected to pitch in this game for the Mets are R.A. Dickey, Jeurys Familia, Pedro Beato, D.J. Carrasco, Jon Rauch
Jake Westbrook and Maikel Cleto.
Mets at Houston Astros
3. Daniel Murphy, 2B
4. Lucas Duda, RF
5. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, CF
6. Josh Satin, 1B
7. Vinny Rottino, 3B
8. Rob Johnson, C
9. Juan Lagares, LFRHP Chris Schwinden will get the star followed by Josh Stinson, Jeremy Hefner, Armando Rodriguez, Fernando Cabrera and Garrett Olson.
Mets Minors Notes
Left-handed pitching prospect Robert Carson plans to return to a mound for a bullpen session today for the first time since suffering an intercostal strain on his right side, which required an injection. He had tweaked the muscle while throwing batting practice a week ago.
Brant Rustich, the Mets’ second-round pick in the 2007 draft out of UCLA, has retired. The injury-plagued Rustich missed last season and had been experiencing a nerve issue that reduced the feeling in a finger.
Collins went and saw top prospect Zack Wheeler, who is in minor league camp, throw on the minor league side. Asked what he liked, Collins whistled and said: “Everything.”
