Lineup, Notes

The Mets' LHP Johan Santana (1-2, 2.89) faces LHP Erik Bedard (2-5, 3.07) at PNC Park tonight. Santana has been murder on Pittsburgh during his career with an ERA under 2. Bedard has been dependable for the Pirates, so it should be a good opener to a nine-game home stand. The game starts at 7:05 and will be aired by Root Sports.

The lineup: Jose Tabata LF, Josh Harrison RF, Andrew McCutchen CF, Pedro Alvarez 3B, Neil Walker 2B, Casey McGehee 1B, Clint Barmes SS, Mike McKenry C, Eric Bedard P.

Josh Harrison is in right field tonight and The Fort is catching.That keeps the ratio at about 2:1 between him and Rod Barajas, which was the plan going into the season. El Toro continues to play against all comers, even a tough lefty like Santana. 

• Drew Sutton, the infielder the Pirates purchased, has already been traded again; the Pirates sent him to Tampa Bay for cash/PTBNL. Very strange, especially as he's headed to the Rays' big team, not AAA..
• Erik Bedard hasn't pitched against the Mets since 2006. 3B David Wright is the only player still with the team who played in that game. 
• Jeff Karstens will go three innings or 45 pitches at Altoona tonight in his first rehab start since coming back from a shoulder injury. Cory Giger of the Altoona Mirror has JK's story.
• David Manel of High And Outside compared the Pirate individual offensive projections for 2012 against the actual numbers...it's not pretty.