Piazza

"When I woke up, it did feel better, so that's a positive thing knowing that it's going to heal," Piazza said. "I'm just fortunate there's nothing really major wrong. It just looks like it's going to be a few days."

Piazza, who walked through the Mets clubhouse Saturday with his arm wrapped in a gauze bandage from elbow to hand, left in the fifth inning of Friday night's 12-5 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

After watching television replays, Piazza was able to piece together a theory of how he was injured while trying to tag out Todd Helton during a play at the plate.

"From what I can tell, I have a bad bruise on my wrist, I guess from the ball, but I think when he slid into me, I kind of hyperextended my elbow," Piazza said.

"When he went by, immediately I felt some sort of bad whiplash or a funny bone-type sensation in my elbow. Somehow either I got his helmet or shoulder or something like that hyperextended my arm."

Piazza said he expected the feeling to return to his arm, but he left the game when he was unable to grip the hand of Mets assistant trainer Scott Lawrenson.

"When I got out there, Scottie had him and Scottie just gave him a strength test," New York manager Bobby Valentine said. "He said, 'That's all you have?' and (Piazza) says, 'Yeah.' It was evident then. You get worried that it's a casting situation."

After an anxious night at the team hotel, Valentine was in a good mood Saturday after talking with Piazza. The disabled list has not been considered.

"It was a little bit of relief," Valentine said. "It's not as though he's going to be pinch-hitting (Saturday), but I don't think we're going to have to worry about any long-term -- meaning three-, four- or five-week situation."

Piazza, who is hitting .368 with five homers and 16 RBI, will be limited to the StairMaster and said he does not know when he might be able to swing a bat. "It's pretty sore. It's tough for me to say."

While Piazza recuperates, the Mets turn to Todd Pratt, who has played in 12 of New York's first 24 games. Pratt batted a career-best .293 last year and hit a game-winning, series-clinching home run in the NL Division Series against Arizona. He had four hits in New York's 13-6 win over Colorado on Saturday.

"Backing up Mike's not a bad thing," Pratt said, "but in my mind, I know I could play for other teams. So if Mike can't go for a few days, I feel very confident about myself."

Pratt and the Mets got a scare Friday night when he was hit in the elbow by a pitch in the sixth inning. He shrugged it off, much to Piazza's relief.

"It wasn't funny," Piazza said. "It was strange. I was thinking, 'God, who's going to catch?"'

With Piazza sidelined, the Mets purchased the contract of Vance Wilson from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned pitcher Eric Cammack to the same club.

"I don't feel the pressure to get back today or tomorrow," Piazza said. "For the team and myself personally you've got to think long-term. We've got a long summer ahead."