We in the media love him because he’s such a go-to quote, but the Mets are at a loss at what to do with Billy Wagner. Not on the field, of course –- Wagner is off to a terrific start and remains arguably the best closer in the NL. It’s what Wagner says in the clubhouse that continues to exasperate the Mets in general and Willie Randolph in particular.

Wagner’s brutally honest mouth got him in hot water in the national media and with his teammates for the second time in less than a month this week when he profanely pointed the finger at unnamed teammates -– apparently Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran -– for not being accountable to the media.

Wagner backtracked furiously Friday and personally apologized to Delgado for the first baseman having his named mentioned in newspaper reports, but the Mets say they realize it was just Billy being Billy.

“Billy’s going to be honest and straight-forward,” Randolph said. “Sometimes, Billy gets a little frustrated and says what he feels. I don’t try to put any gag on anyone, but you have to be smart enough to know in some cases that you’re being used, and that you need to really be guarded in what you say.”

This week’s uproar wasn’t the first time Randolph has warned Wagner to be more careful around reporters.

The Mets’ boss also talked to Wagner in late April, shortly after the veteran reliever ripped into starting pitcher Oliver Perez for lasting just 1 2/3 innings in a home loss to the Pirates when Perez should have gutted out more innings to save the bullpen.

Although Wagner was making a legitimate point about Perez’s famously short attention span, the remarks drew national attention and criticism. When Wagner followed that by seeming to criticize two other Latin players this week, at least two ESPN commentators accused him of racism.

That accusation infuriated Wagner, who promptly defended himself.

“I’m getting all kinds of criticism for calling out a guy and for being racist,” he said. “It’s a little much. I didn’t even say a name. Now, the fans think I’m some racist bigot who wants to go after my teammates. Like I said, it’s a bit much.”

Randolph said those accusations and the fact he had to call a team meeting Friday to put out the brushfire caused by Wagner’s comments only reinforced the manager’s own media policy.

“How do I feel about Wagner’s comments? The same way I felt when they came up [in late April]: All those things should stay in house,” Randolph said.

Randolph made sure to stress that again to Wagner after this latest blow-up. But Randolph and most the Mets have been around Wagner long enough to know that this won’t be the last time his words will light up a back page.

Asked if Wagner will now stay quiet, Randolph said: “Billy’s a grown man, but I doubt it.”