The Mets players shuffled past each other in their dugout at Shea Stadium last night, silently collecting their equipment and retreating to the clubhouse. Some knew a loss eliminated them from playoff contention. Others felt it. Still others thought the slightest chances still existed.

The Mets' 10-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates put an emphatic end to their playoff hopes in a disappointing season, the follow-up to a World Series appearance last October.

''We know we obviously didn't fulfill expectations,'' catcher Mike Piazza said. ''We knew we were a better team coming into the season, but we didn't show it. On the same note, a month and a half or so ago it would've been easy for us to roll over and die and not show the emotion and intensity and the resiliency that we showed. It's a little mixed emotions.''

Piazza noted that the Mets had been fueled by emotions in recent weeks. They came back from a crushing defeat in Atlanta on Saturday to win Sunday, but they were outscored by a combined 15-2 the past two nights against the Pirates.

The score left nothing in doubt, but the situation did. The Mets had spent most of the summer months believing they were talented enough to turn around their season, but many were not aware they had been eliminated.

The Mets entered last night knowing that if they lost and Atlanta won, their chances would be over. But when second-place Philadelphia beat the Braves, 3-1, in Atlanta last night, the Mets were eliminated anyway. Because the Braves and Phillies play each other the next two nights, they can't possibly lose enough to help the Mets.

Desi Relaford didn't realize the Mets were eliminated until he was told by a reporter. Robin Ventura had a good idea when he walked off the field.

A nearly abandoned Shea had an eerie feeling. A crowd of 8,058 turned out for a game that was all but meaningless and was played because the schedule had been altered by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The speakers in center field played ''When You Wish Upon a Star'' before the game. The few fans in attendance quietly sang along to the national anthem.

Bruce Chen, a former Brave and Phillie, was making his last scheduled start of the season and he began it poorly. After retiring the first two batters of the game, he allowed three runs, including a two-run home run to Craig Wilson. Fans booed when the Mets left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning.

Chen was gone in the fifth inning after allowing two more runs, and Shea seemed as quiet as ever.

Bronson Arroyo was two strikes away from his first career shutout when Jay Payton homered. Arroyo did collect his first major league run batted in in the ninth.

''In some dreamy way, we're going through something pretty miraculous that we were able to turn our season around,'' Al Leiter said. ''I think we should be absolutely proud of what we we've been able to accomplish.''

Monday's disappointing loss put the Mets on the verge of elimination, but Manager Bobby Valentine was in the back of a police van yesterday on his way to Gov. George E. Pataki's offices in Manhattan. He met Leiter and about 40 show business personalities there to remind people that much work remains to be done in the aftermath of the attacks.

Each person was asked to speak, but Leiter said he became so intimidated by Liza Minnelli, Robert DeNiro, Alan Alda and Glenn Close that he told Valentine to speak for both of them. Valentine spoke of how those in uniforms other than athletes' were finally being viewed as heroes.

From there, Valentine walked to Grand Central Terminal and took the No. 7 train to Shea.

Valentine has countless household chores left undone because his time away from baseball has been devoted to trying to help others. But he has his own duties. His son, Robert, is a college freshman and has become involved in a campus debate on whether to enlist if there is a war.

''I have an 18-year-old, and I'm having that discussion with him: what's too much,'' Valentine said.

Valentine wanted a miraculous finish to make the playoffs, and he won't get that. Yet the Mets earned another measure of achievement when they were vocal in support of the rescue workers by wearing their caps for the final weeks of the season. The other celebrities yesterday told Leiter how appreciative they were that the Mets were at the forefront to both honor the victims and help the rescuers while their pursuit of Atlanta regenerated interest in sports. That may be the Mets' most significant accomplishment when the sting fades from having their run to contention fall short.

''Under the circumstances,'' Ventura said, ''the way the team reacted to things, I think we're all proud of each other just for the way we approached playing, but also the things that weren't on the field. A lot of these guys probably learned things that they'll probably remember for a long time, especially the young ones.''


DONALD FEHR, the executive director of the players association, held a players-only meeting yesterday in the Mets' clubhouse. The meeting, to update players on the status of negotiations with owners on a new collective bargaining agreement, was to have been held Sept. 11 during the Mets' trip to Pittsburgh. It was postponed because of the terrorist attacks. ''I think it's changed the tone of the whole country,'' Fehr said of the attacks' effect on negotiations. ''Nobody's really focused on the real business issues. We will, hopefully in the not-too-distant future, but there's been more important things.''

Photos: Mike Piazza, left, watched the final inning from the bench last night as the Mets lost to the Pirates at Shea. (Barton Silverman/The New York Times)(pg. D9); Bruce Chen gave up five runs before being relieved in the fifth inning. The Mets have lost 4 of their last 5 games after winning 25 of 31. (Barton Silverman/The New York Times)(pg. D12)