Pitching might slow down Mets

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. - When Willie Randolph showed up for a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden this winter, the manager's face was flashed on the giant video screen hanging above the arena. The New York basketball fans promptly began chanting, "Let's Go, Mets!"

When owner Fred Wilpon held his annual state-of-the-team address early in spring training, he said, "Our goal is to win the World Series." And he said it more than once.

The buzz is understandable. After all, the Mets won 97 games last season, ending Atlanta's streak of 14 straight division championships in the process. They have a high payroll with the ability to spend more if needed. They might have gone to the World Series had it not been for a tiebreaking, heartbreaking ninth-inning homer by Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina in Game 7 of the NLCS.

General manager Omar Minaya, using big money to attract big names, has put the Mets back on the baseball map in New York, where they have become an attractive alternative to the increasingly tired soap opera in the Bronx. They have a new stadium sprouting behind the outfield fence at Shea Stadium.

So why wouldn't optimism be overflowing around Tradition Field?

Funny you should ask . . .

Because Pedro Martinez is coming off shoulder surgery and isn't expected to pitch until after the All-Star break.

Because the rotation is variously viewed as too old (Tom Glavine, Orlando Hernandez) or too young (John Maine, Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber, Oliver Perez).

Because the identity of the third, fourth and fifth starters were big question marks when camp opened.

Because fans who came to expect to see the Mets pick up stars like Martinez, Billy Wagner, Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran over the winter were disappointed when the team came up short in its bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka, dropped out of the Barry Zito auction and didn't even try to sign Alfonso Soriano.

And, no, getting Chan Ho Park and Aaron Sele didn't ease that sting.

Former general manager Steve Phillips, now an ESPN analyst, even picked them to finish third. Ouch.

Wagner understands the doubts, even if he doesn't agree.

"We didn't go out and make any marquee starting pitching acquisitions," the outspoken closer said before a recent exhibition game. "We didn't really think we needed to do a lot of things and the other teams did. The Braves got better. The Phillies got a lot better. For us, we're basing our [hopes] on our young players. So right now we're not the headlines. Which is probably good.