Omar Minaya is coming, but won’t get here until game time.  The Mets’ PR machine said there’s nothing going on. Basically, Minaya needs to be asked the following questions:

1. Is Willie’s job in immediate jeopardy?

2. If Minaya’s answer is “yes,” or other wise hazy, the follow question should be, “why don’t you treat him with decency and do something now?”

3. If Minaya’s answer is “no,” the follow question should be, “then why don’t you treat him with decency and say so?”

It’s not all that hard.

Omar Minaya will join the team tonight in Denver. Maybe he’s coming to prep Willie Randolph on his meeting next week with the Wilpons.

I think the Mets are making a mistake with how they are dealing with Randolph. Either they want him as their manager or they don’t. If they don’t, then stop screwing around.

If they want him, then say so.

Letting him twist is wrong, and it doesn’t help in the clubhouse.

OK, your team just got waxed by the Braves.

There are a lot of other teams you could be rooting for right now that would cause a lot less aggravation.

So, why don’t you?

With things looking bleak, this is a good time for you to share why you are a Mets fan?

What event pulled you to Shea?

The Mets are in trouble and need Johan Santana to stop the slide tonight against Tim Hudson. It won’t be easy. Aces are supposed to stop losing streaks and that’s what the Mets need tonight. I also don’t think it’s a stretch to say they need him because the offense can’t be counted on against Hudson.

Manager Willie Randolph on Santana: “We need a well-pitched game from Santana. Nobody wants to get swept.”

David Wright said the Mets are “mediocre,” and he’s not wrong. If they lose tonight they’ll drop below .500. Raise your hands if you expected this.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
2B Luis Castillo
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
1B Carlos Delgado
LF Marlon Anderson
C Brian Schneider
RF Endy Chavez
LH Johan Santana

The MRI results on Moises Alou’s strained left calf aren’t in yet, but manager Willie Randolph is thinking DL: “We’ll probably DL him. I have no idea on how long he’ll be out.”

Ryan Church, who sustained a mild concussion Tuesday night, will not play tonight.

He’ll do some jogging and take batting practice, and said he hopes to play tomorrow in Denver.

Braves manager Bobby Cox was critical of Church’s slide, saying he came in late.

“I wasn’t trying to hurt him,” Church said. “I play the game hard.”

-No word yet on Moises Alou’s MRI. He’s in NY now being examined. Alou has a strained left calf, something he said that has bothered him for several days. Alou has had these things before and said it will be a few days. Fernando Martinez, by the way, is on the minor league DL with a popped hamstring. He’ll be down for three weeks. Brady Clark is injured. There’s no help coming up from the minors.

-Ryan Church hopes to play tonight, but that decision probably won’t be made until after BP. If Church can’t play, look for Endy Chavez to start in right. Damion Easley or Fernando Tatis could end up in left tonight.

-Tonight is when Johan Santana earns his money.  Let’s face it, the team has hit the skids and Santana has to hit the brakes. Tim Hudson for the Braves, so it won’t be easy.

Manager Willie Randolph, saying he was acting without prompting, apologized to Mets ownership this afternoon for comments he said claiming criticism he’s been under was racially motivated.

He also apologized to SNY, the club’s television outlet, for saying he was deliberately portrayed in a negative light.

“I want to apologize to Met ownership, SNY and my team for the unnecessary distraction I created, that I caused the last couple of days. I shouldn’t have said what I said. It was a mistake. It’s as simple as that. It’s a mistake and there are no excuses for it.”

Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon declined to comment.

Randolph said his comments, made to a New Jersey newspaper on Monday, were spoken out of frustration.

Randolph said he was looking for closure. That would come by winning a few games.

Ryan Church, who sustained a mild concussion trying to break up a double play Tuesday night, won’t play tonight.

“Tomorrow or the next day,” Church said. “I feel great. I feel a lot better than I thought.”

Church said he felt much worse following his concussion in spring training.

Endy Chavez will replace Church in the line-up tonight against the Braves.

METS

SS Jose Reyes
RF Endy Chavez
3B David Wright
CF Carlos Beltran
LF Moises Alou
1B Carlos Delgado
C Brian Schneider
2B Luis Castillo
RH Mike Pelfrey

Just got a call from the Mets. We won’t see Pedro Martinez today. He was in the Atlanta airport when he got a call saying his father had a setback.

So he’s flying now to the Dominican Republic. There’s no telling how long he’ll be there and subsequently when he’ll resume his pitching routine.

David Wright used the word “mediocre” to describe his team last night.

He’s not wrong.

Mediocrity appears to be the Mets saving grace when you look at their division. Who is good enough to pull away?

When Wright was talking last night, he said there was too much talent for the Mets to be a .500 team. What I kept thinking was maybe this is as good as it will get for the Mets.

Tom Glavine handled the Mets in the first game. A failed bases-loaded opportunity in the first set the tone. Claudio Vargas against Jorge Campillo in the second. As you know, damage control practiced by Willie Randolph before the game. Fact is, the only thing that will take away the criticism is winning.

The announcement just came down out of LA is Mike Piazza has announced his retirement. I hope you weigh in on Piazza. In particular, should the Mets retire his number.

Weigh in on a new poll.

Fred Wilpon on Mike Piazza’s retirement: “On behalf of everyone at the Mets, we salute Mike for his Hall of Fame caliber accomplishments in our game and with our team. Mike electrified New York City and energized our franchise after we acquired him in 1998. He was an integral part of our 2000 National League Championship club. Mike played the game with passion, class and heart – symbolic of our city. We wish Mike, his wife, Alicia, and daughter Nicoletta all health and happiness as he begins a new chapter in his life.”

-Pedro Martinez will travel to Atlanta tomorrow to throw a bullpen session with pitching coach Rick Peterson and bullpen coach Guy Conti. Manager Willie Randolph said it’s important to watch Martinez first-hand rather than rely on scouting reports because Peterson can get an idea of the pitcher’s mechanics.

-Brian Schneider will start the first game and Ramon Castro the second game. Randolph said he gave more consideration to how Schneider and John Maine worked together rather than Castro batting against lefty Tom Glavine.