NEW YORK – Last Saturday, when Kaz Matsui took the field for the second game of the Mets' doubleheader against the Giants, the much-maligned second baseman received his usual greeting from the fans.

He was booed without mercy. Worse than former Met pariah Armando Benitez and, yes, even worse than even Barry Bonds’ reception in the first game.

Yet, is all that hatred fair?

Matsui was supposed to the next great Japanese player to come to America. He was thought to hit like Ichiro, field like Derek Jeter and have the Asian charm of Hideki Matsui.

None of that happened.

When he came over here before the 2004 season, the 30 year-old couldn’t field the shortstop position, after displacing Jose Reyes from the job, had trouble with the strike zone and was a quite guy, who didn’t learn English and only in a controlled environment with his interpreter present granted interviews.

But here’s the rub. It wasn’t Matsui’s fault the Mets took a chance and gave him such a bloated contract. He never played Major League Baseball before and obviously couldn’t make the adjustment.

Faulting the second baseman is like blaming Ben Affleck for getting all these starring roles in features but doesn’t have the acting talent to make the performances credible. It was the Mets’ fault for inking Matsui, much like it’s the studios fault for casting the lesser part of “Bennifer.”

So, as Matsui cleans out his Met locker – which was moved right next to the showers this season – for the last time, just remember who was to blame for the signing and boo accordingly.

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With all their injuries, the Yankees seem to be doing it with smoke and mirror, but actually it’s a credit to the quiet work Brian Cashman and his staff accomplished this past year. Instead of panic moves, players like Melky Cabrera and Andy Phillips filled in nicely, while Robinson Cano and Chien-Ming Wang have developed into solid big league ballplayers.

After speaking to George Steinbrenner on Friday, Joe Torre reported that the Boss was very pleased with the performance of his farm system.

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Finally, the Long Island Ducks signed Juan Gonzalez last week, which may turn out to be a short stay in Central Islip. If the former American League MVP can prove he can still hit, a team may take a chance on him. And, by the way the Yankees have lost outfielders, he could end up in the Bronx.

Joe McDonald is the Mets beat writer for the Wave of Long Island and covers baseball for Gotham Baseball Magazine.