MET NOTES

PHILADELPHIA – Al Leiter, who missed his last start with a strained groin, threw 35 practice pitches yesterday, reported “no problem,” and pronounced himself set to pitch Friday in Pittsburgh.

The Met lefty said he would not have missed his scheduled start against the Dodgers on Saturday if it were later in the season. However, he didn’t want to deal with a nagging problem, as he did with the Blue Jays in 1995, when he finished 11-11 with a 3.64 ERA.

This injury also affected Leiter in his home-opening win against the Padres.

“In the eighth inning, I was just throwing it up there, hoping they’d hit it to somebody,” Leiter said.

Leiter said he may use a new type of cup so as not to re-aggravate the injury.

As far as Glendon Rusch’s first start, manager Bobby Valentine said that will be determined by whether the Mets use him out of the bullpen.

The 25-year-old Rusch was Valentine’s long guy out of the pen last night. He is to start in Pittsburgh on either Saturday or Sunday.

Darryl Hamilton, the 35-year-old outfielder on the 15-day DL, received some good news yesterday. The MRI on his left foot was negative.

The Mets aren’t sure if Hamilton will be back as soon as the 15 days are up. But it would make sense for him to return then – because his condition is unlikely to improve much more with time.

“He has a complex problem that there is no easy solution to,” trainer Fred Hina said.

Hamilton’s left big toe, on which he had surgery in the offseason, causes him to run differently, and led to a sprained foot. Last year, the toe caused Hamilton to need surgery on his left knee because of how he compensated.

Yesterday Hamilton saw two specialists to try to figure what to do to alleviate the discomfort. Also, Hina has been in contact with the football Giants to see if they have any advice.

Meanwhile, the Mets will try to figure out a way for Hamilton to play – be it with new shoes or some sort of brace. Right now, Hamilton is wearing an air cast.

GM Steve Phillips on Rickey Henderson’s promise of month-long media boycott: “All right! Party time! Let’s hope it’s one of those longer months.” …

Met starters entered last night with a league-best ERA of 2.32. The overall team ERA of 3.00 was second only to Arizona (2.73). The team’s batting average of .193 ranked last in the NL.

Six Navy parachuters came through the air onto the field to celebrate Opening Night here last night.