DAVID WEATHERS walked off the mound last night after allowing the Marlins to load the bases with no outs in the eighth inning. He raised his hands above his head and waved them in mock encouragement of the boos raining down from the frustrated crowd of 22,563 at Shea Stadium.

The Mets were clinging to a 6-3 lead, and the man considered their best reliever had done nothing to protect it. Still, it remained unclear whether the crowd was booing Weathers or the sight of closer Armando Benitez entering the game from the right-field bullpen.

If the early boos were for the former, the continued booing was for the latter. The Shea crowd was offering its displeasure over Benitez’s meltdown Sunday against the hated Yankees, when he walked four batters in the ninth inning, failing to protect a one-run lead in what became a 7-3, 11-inning loss.

If Benitez had any hint about what had been said about him on sports talk radio and in the print media since then, it was remarkable he had the courage to make another appearance. Yet this is the life a closer, though a heckler in the crowd kept dropping the “c” from that job description.

Perhaps only a field-goal kicker can understand how Benitez must have felt since Sunday. The only way to bury failure is to pursue success.

“Every day I come to the ballpark, it’s a new day,” Benitez said. “It’s a new game, so I try to do the job.”

If Benitez performed in the “big games” like he did last night, the folks in Flushing would have offered a warmer welcome, and his manager wouldn’t have had to apologize for giving him the ball in such a tight spot.

“He told me before the game that he was ready to go two innings if I needed him,” Art Howe said. “But I didn’t imagine bringing him in with the sacks drunk.”

This was one of those nights Benitez performed the part of the intimidator he should be. With no margin for error, he finished the eighth by striking out Derek Lee with a slider, fanning Alex Gonzalez with high heat, and getting Miguel Cabrera to fly out softly to right field.

The ninth was as painless. Pinch-hitter Andy Fox grounded out to first. Speedy leadoff hitter Juan Pierre grounded to second, and Luis Castillo was caught looking at a third strike over the outside corner. Ball game.

Benitez did a hop on the mound after recording his 18th save, cleaning up a 6-3 victory to end the Mets’ four-game losing streak. The boos had turned to cheers. Most of them, anyway.

“He was nasty,” said winning pitcher Steve Trachsel, who tired in the Shea sauna after allowing eight hits and three runs in seven innings. “That’s the Armando we know. I couldn’t imagine a tougher situation, especially after the other day. He was really dealing.”

Of course, this won’t totally endear him to Mets fans, who are convinced Benitez can dominate shrimps like the Marlins only to turn to Jello against elite teams like the Yankees or Braves. But if this enhances his trade value, all the better.

If the return is right, Benitez should be dealt. The youth movement is showing promise. Shortstop Jose Reyes drove in three runs with two hits, and all eyes will be on former No. 1 draft pick Aaron Heilman, who makes his major league debut tonight.

As impressive as Benitez was last night, it’s all the more frustrating when he blows the big ones. Let’s face it. The Mets aren’t going to be involved in any meaningful big games in a season that’s becoming an audition for next year. But with more performances like last night, the next time Benitez is booed, he should be playing for the other team.