David Lennon of Newsday writes about Mike Pelfrey’s mouth guard, the object that divides the Mets fan base more than anything else, including Aaron Heilman or who bats second. In the article, Lennon takes a look at the accident that caused its required use, a line drive that caught Pelf in the face while he was with Team USA.

I wanted to keep pitching, but they wouldn’t let me. I was like, ‘I’m fine. Let’s go.’ I was mad.

Lennon also explores Pelf’s personal preferences in mouth guards, which should be interesting for all the mouth guard lovers and collectors out there (no word yet if any of the used ones are on ebay).

This is easily the most indepth article on Mike Pelfrey’s mouth ever written. At least the most in depth one written in a newspaper, and not a female fans diary.

John Delcos reports that Brian Schneider will spend the night in the hospital, receiving IV antibiotics to treat his infected finger.

I’m no doctor, I’m not even the Hot Foot Medical Expert (that would be Dr Loran), but I kind of assume when a player is spending the night in a hospital bed hooked into an IV bag, that they probably belong on the DL. I’ve watched plenty of those doctor drama shows, and if was something minor we wouldn’t be told Schneiders name, and House would only talk to him for 10 seconds before making a quip and sending him home.

Brady Clark has been DFA’d, to make room for Gustavo Molina who joins the team as a backup catcher.

This seems like an odd choice, I assume they are avoiding placing Schneider on the DL, which I guess indicates there are preliminary test results of a nature that indicate he’ll be healthy very soon. In which case, sure. Clark was probably gone in a few days anyway, if the Alou rumors are true. Then we get a few days of Molina warming the bench and probably not getting any at bats at all, but if Schneider does go on the DL, then I’m lost.

Former Met minor leaguer Mike DiFelice has been DFA’d by Tampa. Mike only saw 20 at bats in 7 games this season, hitting .300 with 4 RBIs. The Rays normal starter, Navarro , was taken off the DL just after DiFelice was released.

Some of you, like Rob, are sitting there going, ‘Dan, why should I care that some guy who barely saw playing time as a Met is getting DFA’d? Where are the interesting Ex Met Watches, like Fonzie, or Kaz and his weird butt related injuries?"  To you I say, scroll down a few posts and whats that…hey, all our catchers are hurt. Its like they think they’re left fielders or older starting pitchers. Is he a great catcher? Noooo. But he is known as someone who calls a good game, handles pitchers well, and isn’t as bad as Carlos Delgado is right now with a bat. Don’t look for him to knock in a homer, but he might actually connect and send something into fair play once or twice a game. At the least, it gives us an option beside Cassanova, who is so good that he was the last active player in the MLB to get an at bat.  Plus everyone loves Met catchers named Mike right? If Hundley was named Mike he’d probably still be playing right now.

Oakland has agreed to terms with Frank Thomas , the recently released..err…mutually agreed to deperted…Blue Jay. Oakland only has to pay roughly $330,000, with the rest of his salary being paid in loonies and toonies by the Canadians. Thomas was only hitting .157 for the Blue Jays prior to getting his playing time reduced.

I guess from a financial standpoint, it makes some sense. They pay him basically the league minimum, which is more than they’d have to pay Piazza has they kept him around. And Frank Thomas gets to come back to America, where we put ketchup on our fries instead of gravy (poutine). And Hotfoot wins, because I learned we have an Oakland Athletics tag.  So I guess everyone wins. Except probably Oakland, when they discover Frank Thomas isn’t very good anymore.

All the Mets with usable thumbs will take on the Nats in game 2 of their series at the Yet To Be Named Nationals Ball Park, or as we like to think of it, the House That Dmitri Young Built.

Oliver Perez takes the mound, in what is sure to be a great or disastrous night, with no middle ground whatsoever. Open your beverages now. Ollie is 2-0, 2.49 with two no decisions that came in Met losses. Three of his starts were shutout affairs for Perez, while the other involved six earned runs in just over four innings. Basically, classic Ollie. Perez is 2-2, 5.26 career against the Nats, but has seen them for less than 26 total innings. He takes on Shawn Hill , who’s playing his second game of the season. Shawn gave up four runs in a Nats lose for a no decision back on the 19th. He has a 2.57 ERA against the Mets, in two starts.

Lineup:

• SS Reyes
• 2B Castillo
• 3B Wright
• CF Beltran
• RF Church
• 1B Delgado
• LF Pagan
• C Casanova
• P Ollie

The key tonight will be Ollie finally making it through six, or preferable more, innings, a problem he has struggled with this season. David Wright is .311 for the season, walking once but hitless last night. Beltran doubled yesterday which made his offense half as good as Johans , it was his 8th of the season.

Gametime is 7:10, and can be enjoyed on both SNY and WFAN. As always, stop on by the Hot Foot Bleachers, to discuss the game, Mets baseball, and other odd injuries that only happen to the Mets.

According to Adam Rubin, Moises Alou is looking likely for the upcoming Braves series. He went 2 for 7 and played 7 innings in left in his most recent extended spring training game.

I’m officially restarting the Moises Alou injury pool, and saying…the Pirates series.

Ramon Castro caught four innings and went 2 for 3.

For those who have forgotten, Ramon Castro is our backup catcher, and bears a vague resemeblence to Shrek, except he isn’t green. Well, he isn’t usually green.

Orlando Hernendez, still wearing a boot. Over/under on his return is set at: never.

The Mets look to make everyone forget Chicago happened, much like the people of Chicago often do, and hope to do so against the Nats. Remember, the no hugging Manny Acta rule is still in effect.

Johan Santana takes the mound for NY. Johan is 2-2, 3.25 for the season, with none of those games against the Nats. He as a 2.4 ERA career against them, and is 2.57 for the season on the road. He faces Tim Redding , 3-1, 3.27 ERA. Redding has faced the Mets six times, with a 4.00 ERA and a win in his sole decision.

Lineups:

• SS Reyes
• 2B Castillo
• 3B Wright
• CF Beltran
• RF Church
• 1B Delgado
• LF Pagan
• C Schneider
• P Johan

The offensively struggling Delgado gets dropped a bit in the order, and Schneider returns after allowing the swelling in his arm to go down. David Wright went hitless last time he faced DC, but is 2 for 4 in his few at bats against Redding. He’s .331 career against the Nats. Church was 4 for 13 the last time the teams met, for a respectable .308. He’s hitting .338 for the season, and leads the team in runs.

Gametime is 7:10, catch it on SNY or WFAN. As always, join us at the Hot Foot Bleachers to talk the game, Mets baseball, and why the Mets should never play a midafternoon Tuesday game at Wrigley ever again. Lets go Mets!

According to the AP, Bobby Cox and the Shea Management will be meeting to discuss the smoking ban at Shea, and its effect on Cox ability to smoke his post game cigars.

Or as we call it here at the Foot, a slow news day.

But since the stories already out there, Bobby Cox is the enemy. I say, make him walk off of Shea property so smoke. I’m sure there are some residents of Flushing that could lend him a light.

Ramon Castro caught five innings in a extended spring training game, but according to Adam Rubin is still not running at full speed. Or at least what passes at full speed for Ramon Castro. Castro has been sidelined since the end of spring training with a hamstring injury.

John Delcos reports that Moises Alou went 3 for 3 in a minor league rehab game today, in low level ball at St Lucie. In theory, Alou could return to the majors as early as next weekend.

Or, as late as 2010. My grandmother always told me, ‘never count your Moises Alous before they hatched.’ I’ve found it to be good, if odd, advice. Especially since she told me it back in the mid80s when Alou was not a Met. Or playing professional baseball. But she’s always been ahead of her time, and a bit crazy. Regardless, I need to see something a little more solid than 3 for 3 in St Lucie before I jump on the bring Alou back to Shea train. Like at the very least, a few decent games in AA or AAA. Or at the least, a week without him hurting himself doing everyday tasks.

Mike Hampton, the rarely healthy Braves starter, had a bullpen session yesterday. According to the AP, Hampton threw 50 pitches, mainly curves and cutters. While he experienced no pain, he still has his doubts, which happens when you’ve suffered several dozen injuries over the course of the average week.

Mentally, I’m just a little timid maybe. I’m still trying to feel my way through it.

Hampton is scheduled for another session on Tuesday.

The Washington Nationals have placed Paul Lo Duca on the DL, retroactive to the 14th.  Paulie was hit by a pitch in the hand in the Nats/Braves series last weekend, while facing Jeff Bennett. This follows Lo Duca’s preseason struggles with injury, and in his 12 games this season he’s hitting just .200 with 4 RBIs. He does have 3 doubles, putting him on pace to easily pass last seasons single filled 18.

An unidentified Mets fan was arrested at CBP today, after a bit of fisticuffs erupted in the stands. While our hard working research team here at The Foot have no details, it is assumed that the Met fan was most likely intelligently stating a reasonable thought towards why the Mets were a superior team, when an overzealous Phillies fan ruthlessly assaulted him. The police, clearly Phillies fans, most likely then unjustly arrested the victim. The incident occurred in the 9th.