Friday Notepad

A few notes before the game tomorrow:

• The Pirate loss Thursday was the first opener they've dropped since 2006.
• Clint Hurdle is expected to start Matt Hague and Casey McGehee at the infield corners against the lefty Cliff Lee on Saturday. McGehee has been there and done that, but for Hague, well, welcome to the show.
• AJ Burnett will make his first rehab start tonight for the High A Bradenton Marauders.
• Speaking of Bradenton, JJ Cooper of Baseball America named the Marauders as the fifth best minor league as of now, citing Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Alex Dickerson, Evan Chambers and Mel Rojas Jr. as players to watch.
• In Baseball America's "Daily Dish," Ben Badler featured Class A West Virginia SS Alex Hanson, a Dominican player signed by Pirate Latin American scout Rene Gayo in 2009.
• Dan Wade of Fangraphs pumps up Jose Tabata as a late pick for fantasy baseballers.
• Matthew Pouliot of The Hardball Times has a very confusing post on the Pirates. We think he's dissing Clint Hurdle, or maybe the free agent signings, or maybe the team, or maybe...well, it's hard to tell, except it's a negative piece. Geez, can't the national guys wait a week or two before shoveling dirt on the club?
• Ya can't keep 'em down. SS Brian Bixler has been recalled by the Astros to replace the injured Jed Lowrie, notes John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus.
• Another blast from the past has returned. Kip Wells, who last pitched in 2009, has signed a minor league deal with the White Sox after hitting 93 MPH on the gun during a workout, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
• Ben Nicholson Smith of MLB Trade Rumors looked at the opening day pitchers, and found that half were home-grown and the other 15 joined their current clubs via trade or free agency. The fact that half are with their original organizations shows the premium teams are paying to develop their own players, especially pitchers.