MET NOTES

VIERA, Fla. – It was Willie Randolph’s first exhibition game as Mets manager, but the new skipper sounded as if he’s already settled in.

“I’ve been feeling real comfortable for a long time now,” Randolph said after his Mets opened spring training with a 5-3 loss to the Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos).

Randolph said he wasn’t nervous, noting, “I was just really happy to get out there. We prepared for this for a long time. There was a big crowd out there. [National manager] Frank Robinson [is] a real good friend of mine.”

Randolph said the Hall of Famer actually was one of the first people he called after landing the Met job – “just to say thanks for the advice and help in the offseason.” Said Robinson of Randolph: “It’s a perfect fit for him.”

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Tom Glavine looked strong in his two scoreless innings yesterday, allowing two hits. But the Mets lost when the eventual winning run scored in the sixth inning thanks to Miguel Cairo’s error.

Jason Phillips had two hits and two RBIs, while Carlos Beltran made his Met spring debut by going 1-for-3 with a single and a run. . . . The worst performance by a Met? That probably goes to Aaron Heilman, who pitched two innings and gave up three runs on two homers – Jose Guillen’s two-run shot and Keith Osik’s solo blast.

A day after getting hit on the knee, Cliff Floyd said he was fine . . . Mets have their spring home opener tonight against Cardinals, with Kris Benson facing Mark Mulder. Pedro Martinez starts tomorrow.

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Rick Mahler, former Brave hurler and pitching coach for the Mets’ A-ball team in Port St. Lucie, died of a heart attack yesterday. The 51-year-old Mahler, a 13-year big-league vet, had five children.