Willie Randolph made it clear here in San Diego this week that he is done babying Mike Pelfrey (pictured) and the rest of his young pitchers. The Mets entered today’s game against the Padres as one of just seven teams without a complete game this season, but Randolph now appears determined to end that drought.

Randolph will remain careful with veteran stars Johan Santana and Pedro Martinez, mostly because of their age, health concerns (in Pedro’s case) and the Mets’ massive investment.

But based on Randolph’s comments and actions this week, Pelfrey and fellow young arms John Maine and Oliver Perez –- average age: 26 — better be ready to stay in games.

“We talk about pitch counts, but it’s totally overrated,” Randolph told us. “When you’re talking about young talent, I’m not a believer in all that.”

The Mets’ field boss practiced what he preached here Friday night, leaving Pelfrey in to throw a career-high 112 pitches in six innings of a hard-luck, 2-1 loss to the Padres.

That hefty output wasn’t an aberration, either –- Randolph had the team’s No. 1 pick in 2005 throw 109 pitches in his previous start last weekend at Shea Stadium against the Dodgers.

The large pitch counts mark a significant change in philosophy for the Mets, especially with regard to Pelfrey. The big right-hander had thrown more than 100 pitches just four times in his first 19 starts since being hurried to the majors in 2006, but Pelfrey has gone over the 100-pitch mark in seven of his 11 starts this year.

Randolph indicated pitching coach Rick Peterson isn’t as gung ho about big pitch counts, saying: “Pitching coaches are always going to protect their pitchers.” But Randolph left no doubt where he stands on the issue, especially with Pelfrey.

“I know there are people in the organization that might want to treat him with kid gloves or whatever, but when you’re in the heat of battle, you go,” Randolph said. “I’ll stay with him sometimes to get him that experience. You can’t always have that safety net. This kid needs to pitch.”

Randolph, though, isn’t just fixated on Pelfrey when it comes to having the team’s young arms throw a lot of pitches.

Maine already has had games of 121 and 117 pitches, while Perez would have been working on five games in a row of 100 or more pitches if he hadn’t flamed out so quickly last Monday in San Francisco.

“As far as young talent, I feel that the more that you pitch, the better you become,” Randolph said.