" A shutdown closer for much of his career in Seattle, J.J. Putz did his best to shut down any potential controversy yesterday.

In his first comments since the Mets acquired him in a three-team, 12-player deal last week, Putz proclaimed himself satisfied with serving as the eighth-inning set up man to Francisco Rodriguez.

"The bottom line: I just want to win," Putz said during a news conference at Citi Field. "I hadn't had a chance to really do that in Seattle."

Putz's mindset has been a question mark since the blockbuster deal that brought him from the Mariners just hours after the Mets' three-year, $37 million signing of K-Rod - like Putz, a dominant, All-Star closer out of the AL West.

Putz's agent initially said his client would be resistant to the idea of pitching the eighth inning instead of the ninth, but Putz said his opinion changed with time.

"Once everything settled down and I got a chance to look at the team and realize that it's built to win right now, it became very exciting," Putz said.

The Rodriguez-Putz dynamic continues to bear watching, however, especially after manager Jerry Manuel said Wednesday that the two relievers likely would share the closer role next season in a 70-30 split favoring K-Rod.

Putz, who stands a strapping 6-foot-5, 250 pounds, nimbly sidestepped the question when asked about Manuel's idea of dividing the closer duties.

"To come to a team that's built to win right now, I'll pitch in the sixth, seventh - whatever it takes to get us a championship," Putz said. "