MLB

MANUEL CONSIDERS DRASTIC BULLPEN MOVE

he saying “desperate times call for desperate measures” could soon apply to the Mets.

Disgusted by the appalling performance of his bullpen lately, Jerry Manuel revealed today he is considering moving one of three starters – John Maine, Oliver Perez or Mike Pelfrey – into a relief role.

Not only that, but Manuel said such a move wouldn’t be just a temporary solution until closer Billy Wagner (strained left forearm) comes off the DL next Monday in Pittsburgh.

That’s how little confidence Manuel has in his current bullpen crew after four of them combined to blow a four-run lead in the final three innings of Monday’s 7-5 loss to the Pirates, a meltdown that cost Aaron Heilman his substitute closer role.

“The issue down there [in the bullpen] is desperate,” Manuel said before his club opened a three-game series here with the last-place Nationals. “I’m not desperate, but the issue down there is desperate.”

Desperate because virtually no one in the Mets’ bullpen can be counted upon at the moment to get even a single batter out, much less finish off an entire inning.

Heilman gave up three runs in just one-third of an inning Monday, while Joe Smith allowed two runs in the seventh without recording an out. Scott Schoeneweis and Pedro Feliciano haven’t been much better, and Duaner Sanchez is now struggling to reach even 88 mph with his fastball.

The situation appears so dire to Manuel that he threw up his hands last night and proclaimed rookie Eddie Kunz his new closer until Wagner gets back, even though Kunz only made his big-league debut less than two weeks ago.

Converting a reliable starter – Maine, Perez and Pelfrey all have at least nine wins each – to the bullpen this late in the season would appear to fit the definition of a panic move, but Manuel and GM Omar Minaya aren’t ruling it out.

The reason is simple: The Mets are still in the NL East race, sitting just two games behind the Phillies going into last night’s game, and they are determined to stop giving away games when the division appears so winnable.

“It’s a pennant race, and you gotta try to do everything you can to remain in this race,” Manuel said.

If the Mets can’t land a reliever on the waiver market and resort to converting a starter to the bullpen, Maine would appear to be the likeliest candidate, with Triple-A left-hander Jon Niese being called up to take his spot in the rotation.

Maine is still firmly set to come off the DL tonight and start against the Nationals, but Manuel said a bullpen role for the right-hander is definitely on the table beyond that.

That was fine with Maine, whose only relief appearances in the big leagues were a handful of stints in blowouts with the Orioles as a rookie.

“Hey, whatever’s the best for the team,” Maine said. “You just have to learn to get ready quicker. It would be fun. I’d love to get a couple of saves. Why not?”

Pelfrey and Perez also said they would be game, even though Perez is headed for free agency in the offseason, is pitching well and could cost himself a lot of money on the open market with a bullpen switch.

“If Jerry says be a closer, then I have to accept it and be ready,” Perez said last night. “I’m not thinking about free agency. All I’m thinking about is winning.”

bhubbuch@nypost.com