FanNation - The Republic of Sport

4/1/08 (**updated at 10:55 pm EST**)

On April Fools Day, the Mets probably were hoping their joker was merely pulling their leg.

Well, a leg was pulled, but unfortunately for the ballclub, that leg was attached to the body of one Pedro Martinez.

Pedro left his start Tuesday night in the bottom of the 4th inning after he appeared to sustain an injury to his left leg, while following through on his delivery.

Pedro retired Matt Treanor on a ground out, but Treanor would be the last batter Pedro would face, as he gingerly was helped off the field and disappeared into the Mets clubhouse with the training staff.

During the 8th inning on SNY, Mets reporter Kevin Burkheart stated he had caught up with Pedro on his way out of the ballpark, who told Burkhart he "heard a pop" in his left hamstring.   

The early word was a strained left hamstring, and was listed as day-to-day, however anybody who has been watching baseball for an extended period of time knows that hamstring injuries are almost never a day-to-day injury, and you can add onto that the fact that Pedro is 36 and a pitcher who relies heavily on his legs for his success.

Matt Wise gave up a game winning homerun to the Marlins Robert Andino, the first of his young major league career.

The Mets may have lost the game in 10 innings, but the news was all centered around their veteran right hander. 

With his history of injuries, one shouldn't be surprised that Pedro hurt himself, however the timing really acts like a punch in the stomach when you consider all the good vibes surrounding him coming out of spring training.

He gave us the spring cliche "greatest shape of my life" rant which you had no choice but to believe based on how sharp he looked down in Port St. Lucie.

Unfortunately, only 3 1/3 innings into his first start of the year, on the first day of April, Pedro might be spending more time back in St. Lucie rehabbing yet another injury.

The injury puts even more strain (no pun intended) on an already thing Mets rotation, with Orlando Hernandez on the disabled list still building up arm strength to pitch 6 major league innings.

Mike Pelfrey currently is serving as the teams fifth starter, and is slated to pitch Saturday in Atlanta.

Thanks to off-days, the Mets may not have to replace Pedro's spot in the rotation for at least a start or two, and only time will well what the health conditions are of both he and El Duque.

Mets fan hoping to see Pedro toe the rubber at Shea Stadium's final hope opener will most likely end up seeing either Oliver Perez or John Maine when the curtains go up for the final time at the big blue ballpark in Queens. 

For now though, the concern rests in the left leg of the Mets self-proclaimed former ace and resident number 2.

Knowing Pedro, day-to-day is as reliable a diagnosis as a meteorologist telling you the forecast is partly cloudy with a chance of showers.

And when it comes to Pedro Martinez and the Mets, the forecast just got worse.