Johan Santana makes his first start today for the Mets. The game will be on TV in New York.

PHOTO: AP

John Maine didn’t have a great game, but he’s communicating well with catcher Brian Schneider. That’s my angle for today.

JUPITER, Fla. _ Brian Schneider sat in the trainer’s room with his right knee packed in ice.
John Maine sat on the table beside him with his shoulder wrapped.

Catcher and pitcher, between bites from their submarine sandwiches and sips from their bottled waters, dissected Maine’s first performance of the spring, a disappointing three-run, 45-pitch outing in yesterday’s 7-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Maine wondered about the location of a pitch to Troy Glaus. He complained about a broken bat hit. He asked how his change-up was breaking.

For nearly a half-hour they talked.

About everything, said Maine. And it was important, said Schneider.

“I can feel his style,” Maine said of Schneider’s hands-on approach.

“I think he’ll learn more from me. When I get in trouble it’s more of a mechanics issue. I try to do too much.”

Maine said “overthrow” wasn’t the proper term in that he doesn’t try to overpower hitters. However, he admits to trying to place his pitches and be too precise.

“I talk to my pitchers a lot,” Schneider said. “What we talked about in the trainer’s room is the kind of things we talk about between innings.

“It’s always good to do this when it’s fresh.”

Maine breezed through the first and put the Cardinals down in order, getting Albert Pujols on a grounder to third for the third out.

However, everything unraveled in the second.

Maine didn’t get some calls Schneider said he should have, and the pitcher admitted he let things bother him. It’s something he can’t let happen to him during the season.

But, Maine said emotions weren’t what derailed him.

“I felt strong, maybe a little too strong,” said Maine. “I made some decent pitches, but there were still a lot of pitches I would have liked to have thrown better.

“I’m upset. But, I have to be reasonable about it and know I’m not going to hit the target with every pitch. This is the first time.”

The result of feeling too strong was his fastball sailing high in the strikezone.

“And, my slider and change-up were a hair off,” Maine said.

Schneider said he and Maine are in concert with the conclusion that the 26-year-old pitcher with high expectations wasn’t challenging hitters, but trying to finesse them.

“When I went out to talk to him, he knew what he was doing before I could say anything,” Schneider said.

Maine, whom general manager Omar Minaya adamantly insists wasn’t a throw-in in the trade from Baltimore for Kris Benson, surfaced in the second half of the 2006 season when injuries sapped the rotation.

Maine pitched well down the stretch and in the playoffs, but manager Willie Randolph said nothing was guaranteed for him at the start of spring training last year.

Maine responded with 15 victories, and realizes the expectations are higher this season.

Closer Billy Wagner said Maine is capable of winning 20 games. Maine said he was “flattered” to hear that, but refused to place a victory goal for the season. Instead, he set his numerical goals at 30 starts and 200 innings.

What could that translate to in victories?

“I don’t know about that,” Randolph said. “But if can give us 200 strong innings, I’d take it.”

A lot is expected out of John Maine this season. Sure, he would have liked to have pitched better, but it’s the first game. He’s not somebody I’m concerned about.

Duaner Sanchez, on the other hand, I am. The last time he complained of being sore after throwing he had surgery.  He hasn’t pitched in a year-and-a-half, so my confidence level on him is low. Real low.

Johan Santana tomorrow.

Your thoughts on any of this?

I’ve been in sports bars where they’ll hang the sportspage by the men’s urinal. In the men’s room at Roger Dean Stadium where the Cardinals play an extermination company posts an add over each urinal.

Those poor bugs.

Mets reliever Matt Wise, who pitched last year at Milwaukee, on the unseasonably chilly temperatures in Florida: “The Cheeseheads in Wisconsin would be out in their tank tops and shorts laying out by the pool.”

45: John Maine’s pitch count.

Maine said he felt strong. Originally, he thought he threw about 25 to 30 pitches. When told it was 45, he was asked, “now do you feel tired?”

Highlights from Willie Randolph’s postgame interview:

-On John Maine: “He had trouble with his command. I don’t make much of it the first time out.”

-Said Duaner Sanchez was pushed back a day because of soreness, but he wouldn’t elaborate.

-Said Carlos Beltran (both knees) still isn’t ready to play.

-Said he’ll have to pick his spots to rest Moises Alou this season.

Mets Report

Score: St. Louis 7, Mets 0

Spring record: 0-2

Game breakdown: John Maine started and gave up three runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. … Just four hits for the Mets. … Ruddy Lugo and Joe Smith each gave up two runs.

Clubhouse chatter: Willie Randolph was jokingly asked about being 0-2. “Are you kidding me?” he said, then realizing the tone of question, shifted gears and said, “I have a shot tomorrow. I got my horse going.” Of course, he was referring to Johan Santana starting.

What’s next: Today vs. St. Louis, at Port St. Lucie, Fla., 1:10 p.m., Televised by SNY.

Remember all those good feelings about Duaner Sanchez? Well, let’s put them on hold for a moment.

Sanchez did not pitch today as planned, with manager Willie Randolph saying the reliever complained of soreness.

Randolph would not elaborate on whether the soreness was in Sanchez’s surgically repaired shoulder, instead saying it’s not unusual for pitchers to complain of soreness early in spring training. Randolph didn’t appear concerned, saying Sanchez would be pushed back a day.

But, if it isn’t the shoulder, why won’t they just say so?

John Maine said he’s disappointed in today’s showing against St. Louis.

After setting the Cardinals down in order in the first, Maine gave up three runs on four hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings. In particular, Maine said he was up with all his pitches and didn’t have command of his change-up.

“I felt strong, maybe a little too strong,” said Maine. “I made some decent pitches, but there were still a lot of pitches I would have liked to have thrown better.

“I’m upset.”

If John Maine is going to win 20 games this year, he’s going to have to do better than this.

It’s his first start so he’ll get some slack. Maine gave up three runs on four hits in 1 2/3 innings  (45) with two strikeouts, a walk and a wild pitch.

Pedro Martinez wants to throw batting practice tomorrow and still has March 6 at Viera, Fla., against Washington, circled for his first exhibition start.

“That’s the plan,” Martinez said.

Martinez, who missed most of last season following shoulder surgery, has been taking it slow, but said he’s not having any physical problems or setbacks.

John Maine set the Cardinals down in order in the first, including Albert Pujols on a grounder to third to end the inning.

No score after one inning.

One of the spring training sights you can bank on is Fred Wilpon showing up and signing a few autographs and chatting with fans.

He talked with us, too. About a program he would like to see established to ease the transition back for troops from the Middle East.

He also said he hopes today will be the day Notre Dame alum Aaron Heilman sing the Michigan fight song following the tie a couple of days ago.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
CF Fernando Martinez
3B David Wright
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Moises Alou
RF Ryan Church
2B Ruben Gotay
C Brian Schneider
DH Marlon Anderson
RH John Maine