MLB

MANUEL LABORS TO EXPLAIN DOC CRACK

ATLANTA — Embattled Mets manager Jerry Manuel was still in damage-control mode before yesterday’s 5-1 win over the Braves, trying to minimize the impact of his ill-advised joke about the team’s medical staff the night before.

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Speaking after the Mets’ 11-0 loss Friday night, Manuel was asked about the status of Gary Sheffield after the 40-year-old outfielder left in the fifth inning with a hamstring issue.

“They’re calling it cramps . . . surgery on Thursday,” Manuel said before erupting in laughter.

Realizing that team-owned SNY had caught the remark on film, Manuel quickly added: “I couldn’t resist. Sorry, doctors.”

Manuel then pleaded twice with the network’s in-house reporter, Kevin Burkhardt, not to run the footage, but the network replayed the joke moments later.

Criticism of the team’s medical and training staffs is a highly sensitive issue with club management. Although Manuel said he had not heard directly from his bosses yesterday, he once again tried to explain his motivation for the crack.

“Well, I hope they would know me by now, that I don’t mean any malice or anything,” Manuel said. “It was just the appropriate thing for me to say. I need to say some things every now and then to get my mind right, too, you know?”

Manuel said he did not blame the medical staff for the injuries that have stacked the Mets’ disabled list with a staggering nine players and contributed mightily to their 43-47 record.

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Questions continued to swirl about the future of struggling reliever Tim Redding yesterday.

A report quoting an anonymous source said the Mets were ready to release Redding and eat the rest of his one-year, $2.25 million contract after he posted a 7.72 ERA in his first 12 appearances and was recently demoted to long relief.

“We haven’t spoken internally about that [possibility],” Mets vice president of development Tony Bernazard said when asked about releasing Redding.

“Redding is a guy that has pitched at this level, had some success at this level and is probably in a little different role than he’s been in,” Manuel said. “You can probably anticipate the bumps. At the same time, you have to hope that he adapts to that.”

Manuel, though, left himself some wiggle room if the Mets decide to cut Redding loose in the next few days and maintain their interest in obtaining shortstop Julio Lugo, who was designated for assignment by Boston on Friday.

Redding was upset with the report, but said he wouldn’t be surprised at being let go based on his shoddy performance.

“I’m not an idiot,” he said.

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Gary Sheffield blamed it on the Bahamas yesterday, saying the right hamstring cramp that knocked him out of Friday’s game might have resulted from his island vacation this week.

“I was in the heat the whole time on vacation, so that might have had a lot to do with it,” said Sheffield, who was told dehydration was a factor in the cramps.

Sheffield was not in the lineup yesterday, but was available to pinch-hit and might be back in the lineup today or tomorrow.

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John Maine threw off flat ground yesterday in Port St. Lucie and is scheduled to do so again tomorrow as the right-hander steps up his bid to return to the rotation.

“He’s coming along,” Bernazard said.