VIERA, Fla. – The flags that fly along the outfield stands in Space Coast Stadium are two shades of Marlins blue.

But had there been flags flying over the Mets’ dugout yesterday, they could only have been one color: red.

Their general manager may have had the greatest winter in the history of New York baseball.

But winters inevitably turn to spring and spring to summer, and sometimes the presents that looked so good under the tree at Christmas are in the garbage by Labor Day.

So it was that yesterday the Mets got a glimpse of just what life might be like this spring and summer if somehow all those nice gifts they were bestowed with this winter turned out to be just old garbage in new wrappings.

For one day at least, Mo Vaughn and Steve Trachsel, counted on to be new men this year, reverted to their old form.

Last year’s.

In 2001, Vaughn was too injured to play and for most of it, Trachsel was far too easy to hit.

Of course, Vaughn, the biggest gift Steve Phillips bought for the Mets this winter, is nowhere near ready for the trash heap.

But he was not fit to make the trip up I-95 yesterday due to what Bobby Valentine termed “calf-hamstring soreness.”

This could be cause for concern since Vaughn hasn’t played in an official major-league game in 18 months due to injury.

And he will not play today against the Expos, or tomorrow since the Mets have the day off.

Valentine said Vaughn would be likely to return to action on Thursday.

Or, maybe sometime in 2003, considering his age, size and history.

Vaughn has had a good spring at the plate. In fact, that may have contributed to his woe.

On Sunday, he hit his second home run of the spring, and that trip around all four bases could have put the hurt on his hammy.

Or, it could have been that base Vaughn was ordered to steal – you read that right – in the ninth inning of the 6-5 loss to the Braves.

Valentine managed that one as if it were the last game of the regular season and the Mets and Braves were tied atop the NL East.

Any other judgment renders the idea of Mo Vaughn trying to steal a base slightly surreal.

“He’s gonna steal some bases if they play behind him,” Valentine had said of Vaughn after the game, perhaps on the premise that no self-protecting infielder would risk getting in front of him to make the tag.

In any event, Vaughn was incapable yesterday, and for one key inning, so was Trachsel.

In their haste to insure they would score runs this season, the Mets and Phillips seem to have neglected one small aspect of the game; namely, preventing runs.

That is up to the pitching staff, and every fourth game, it will be up to Trachsel.

Last May 17, Trachsel became the first starter in Mets history to allow four home runs in one inning. The next day, he became a Norfolk Tide.

He returned in June a supposedly changed man, and won nine of his last 12 decisions, supporting the theory that there was nothing wrong with Trachsel that a good scare wouldn’t cure.

If so, he got one yesterday.

Taking the mound with a 2-1 lead in the third inning (he had allowed a home run to Andy Fox in the second), Trachsel proceeded to have a Trachsel Moment.

He started off by allowing a single to pitcher Brad Penny and a ringing double in the gap to Luis Castillo. He caught a break when Tim Raines fished for a 3-0 pitch and hit it right at Robbie Alomar, who let it go through his legs. That was scored a two-run single. Then, a rattled Trachsel served up a two-run homer to Kevin Millar.

Although it’s only spring training, it looked an awful lot like last summer.

With Al Leiter having made just two spring starts due to injury, Shawn Estes looking shaky and probable No. 5 starter Jeff D’Amico having missed nearly all of last season with an elbow problem, it is clear that although you can be sure this year’s Mets will hit the ball, their opponents are going to hit it, too.

Only Pedro Astacio, who so far has pitched like Pedro Martinez, looks like a guy you can watch without holding your breath.

It’s too early to raise the white flag on this team and certainly no time to be hoisting the pennant.

You want to raise a flag for the Mets today? Make it a red one.