Matt,
"the long metal part, at the bottom of the pitcher" that you referred to, isn't actually metal, it's wood. If we're talking about the same part. The part that i'm referring to, is the part that is pointing straight down in the pictures. And you can see that it's a different color than the galvanized metal parts. If that is the part in question, its made of wood and to me, it seems like its a handle of sorts. And there aren't any holes in it to fasten it.