MET NOTES

Cliff Floyd, who’s set to be a free agent, wants to be at Shea next year.

“Hopefully I’m a New York Met,” he said.

Floyd, whose ailing left Achilles tendon allowed him to only have three at-bats in the NLCS, pinch hit last night in the ninth inning but struck out against Adam Wainwright.

The teary-eyed left fielder said after the game, “The one thing that you’re disappointed in is this team is so unbelievable. To come in this locker room every day has been a joy, and for us to not get to Detroit is, in our hearts it’s a huge disappointment.”

Floyd, though, also said, “The positive is this team is heading in the right direction.

“Mets fans should definitely be proud of this team and what we accomplished this year. It’s been a great year.

“Unfortunately it ended this way but if you’re a Met fan I would look forward to great things in the near future.”

Prior to the game, Floyd confirmed that he will have surgery sometime next week if the Mets weren’t playing in the World Series.

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Pedro Martinez didn’t pitch in the playoffs but the Mets star spoke after last night’s loss and not only praised his team but said he expects the 2007 club – assuming it avoids injuries – to go to the World Series.

“Next year, I guarantee if we are healthy we are going to be in the World Series,” Martinez said.

Martinez also said, “I’m really proud of everybody. What they did is unbelievable.

“We could have won that game and been in the World Series right now. It didn’t happen. You have to congratulate the other team and go on.”

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Third base coach Manny Acta said he will be interviewing in Texas this morning for the manager’s job. Bench coach Jerry Manuel said he’s not interviewing anywhere today.

Additional reporting by Michael Morrissey