PORT ST. LUCIE – Mets manager Bobby Valentine’s message to shortstop Rey Ordonez is simple: Get better offensively.

“I don’t like to throw numbers out there, but they sure as heck can’t be where they are now,” Valentine said. “It is not productive. The numbers are not productive.”

Last season, Ordonez had the lowest slugging percentage (.317) in the National League and his on-base percentage (.319) was among the lowest. In 1998, his .299 slugging percentage and his .278 on-base percentage were the lowest in the National League. These numbers are all among players who are regulars.

“We need him to be a hitter,” Valentine said of the 27-year-old, whose homer in yesterday’s exhibition home opening 7-3 win over the Dodgers led to Valentine’s statements. “We need him to be a productive offensive player.”

Last season, Ordonez hit a career-high .258 with one home run and 60 RBIs in 520 at-bats.

“The only number that is really acceptable is the RBIs and that has to do with men on-base,” Valentine said. “That’s a team thing. RBIs are not an individual stat in my mind.”

A career .246-hitter, Ordonez had 24 doubles, two triples, a home run, 49 walks and 59 strikeouts last season.

“I think he could be a high-number doubles guys, a couple of triples at times if they are playing too loose in the outfield, a few more home runs, I feel he can walk,” said Valentine.

Valentine added that fatigue may be a part of Ordonez’ problem, although he is much stronger than when the manger arrived three seasons ago.

“He’s probably getting there to be as strong as he should be,” said Valentine, who added Ordonez needs to bring down his body fat. “He came here with extra weight for the first time. He was overweight when he got to camp.”

Valentine thinks that Ordonez’ work in the spring — and not less than the 154 games he played a season ago — is a good way to fight the fatigue.

This past offseason, the three-time Gold Glove winner put up some rather gaudy numbers by signing a four-year, $19 million contract. Yesterday, had already left the ball park when Valentine made his declarations.

Valentine wasn’t only negative toward Ordonez’ offensive game. In fact, this spring he said Ordonez looked like a better hitter.

“I haven’t seen many of the collapsing swings in batting practice,” said Valentine, who indicated that he has made these thoughts known to his shortstop already. “Just chopping so far so maybe he just has something.”

The manager doesn’t want Ordonez to just try to push the ball, hoping to find a hole.

“I want him to be a hitter,” Valentine said. “I don’t want him to be one of these things that you hear about — a hit behind the runner guy and a hit to right field guy. What is that?”

At the end of last season, Ordonez spoke openly about how he was disappointed in himself that he lacked discipline to lay off certain pitches.

“I’m glad that it upset him,” Valentine said. “I think that is a good thing. When he was in a groove there last year, he was just a regular hitter.”