PORT ST. LUCIE — I’ll be staying behind to watch Johan Santana pitch in a minor-league intrasquad game here this morning, but the Mets are sending a squad to Disney World today for Jonathon Niese‘s St. Patrick’s Day start against the Braves. Niese now appears to be the frontrunner for the No. 5 starter role, but it isn’t a big lead and Niese must continue to pitch well to fend off Livan Hernandez and keep the Mets from seriously considering Pedro Martinez.

Here is the Mets’ lineup for the 1:05 p.m. game, which is NOT being televised by SNY:

Marlon Anderson 2B

Jose Valentin 3B

Daniel Murphy LF

Nick Evans 1B

Ryan Church RF

Bobby Kielty CF

Robinson Cancel C

Ruben Tejada SS

Jonathon Niese LHP

Also scheduled to pitch for the Mets are LHP Casey Fossum, LHP Jon Switzer, RHP Carlos Muniz, RHP Bobby Parnell, RHP Darren O’Day and RHP Brian Stokes.

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Fernando Tatis was scheduled to go on today’s trip to Disney but was a late scratch. Tatis said it was nothing, but he was walking with a wrap around his left ankle in the clubhouse this morning.

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The Mets are sending Rule 5 pick Rocky Cherry, a right-handed reliever, back to the Orioles.