The Mets made official today what they had strongly hinted yesterday, that Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez will miss his start in Washington tomorrow because his right foot still is hurting. The club has no idea when he will start again, but it won't be any time in the next four days.
The rotation has been set up for the week and he is not part of it, at least not now. Brian Lawrence will take Hernandez' place tomorrow. Lawrence, called up yesterday from Triple A New Orleans,said he was told about his start yesterday. He had been scheduled to pitch yesterday for the Zephyrs, had they not been eliminated from the Pacific Coast League playoffs. So he will be well rested. He hasn't been told about another possible start, so the club is leaving the door open for Duque.
Willie Randolph repeated this morning that Hernandez still can do his full workouts--running, long tossing. The foot hurts when he pushes off while pitching.
The manager also announced that Mike Pelfrey will start against the Nationals Wedndesday, which would have been Tom Glavine's spot. That will give Glavine and Pedro Martinez and extra day of rest. Even though the Mets are insistent that they aren't presumptuous enough to be setting up their postseason rotation, the extra rest won't hurt.
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Marlon Anderson said this morning he has not heard anything from Major League Baseball officials about possible disciplinary actions for having thrown his helmet after being ejected yesterday. The helmet hit Phillies catcher Chris Coste, to whom Anderson apologized