Sports

Re-upped with Mets, Wright visits Staten Island hurricane victims

NO KID-DING: Newly signed Mets third baseman David Wright spent the day playing wiffle ball (left), signing hats (top right) and talking to students (bottom right) affected by Hurricane Sandy at P.S. 38 George Cromwell in Staten Island yesterday. (Anthony J. Causi (3))

This is a story of strength and conviction. From there comes rebirth.

David Wright told the students and staff at P.S. 38 George Cromwell in Staten Island yesterday about growing up in the Tidewater area of Virginia, a region that is no stranger to hurricanes. This was Wright’s first visit to New York since the devastation of Hurricane Sandy. He was deeply moved by what he saw.

At this school, 80 percent of the students were affected by Sandy.

“The pictures, the stories do not do it justice,’’ Wright said of the devastation. “I’ve seen and my family has been through hurricanes. If there is one piece of advice I can give you guys, is that after every hurricane that came through, the community rallied around each other and became stronger afterwards.’’

Life is about rallying back from the most difficult times.

Wright was here for a bit of moral and financial support. Wright and the Mets announced a $250,000 donation to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City to support hurricane restoration efforts.

This was the day after the Mets officially announced the monster eight-year, $138 million extension to Wright, a contract that essentially makes Wright a Met for life. He joked that after his playing career comes to an end he can become “co-owner.’’ COO Jeff Wilpon said Wright will have a role with the organization as long as he wants.

Though the Yankees are trying to plug their gaping hole at third with the likes of Kevin Youkilis, the Mets have the Battle of New York won at third base with Wright.

“I signed back here to win,’’ Wright said. “I didn’t sign back here to continue to be on fourth-place teams.’’

It was fitting that on his first day after being given the new deal Wright was visiting a school to offer support. The “Let’s go Mets” chants’ and first-to-third smiles were proof Wright made the right decision.

“Because of the person, because of David, we were willing to commit the dollars and the resources,’’ Wilpon said. “We know we are going to get maximum effort out of this guy. He’s one of the special ones. He’s real.’’

New York City council member James Oddo was the one who brought the school to Wright’s attention.

“It’s been rough. We have a long road ahead of us,’’ Oddo told The Post about life in his community. “This is a bungalow community. They can’t withstand a serious rainfall, let alone a historic storm and the tidal surge, between 8 and 9 [feet], all hell broke loose.’’

Slowly, there is a rebirth.

“Just having David and Jeff here today, it’s such a lift for the community and for me,’’ said Oddo, a lifelong Mets fan. “When you are in the problem-solving business and you can’t solve these folks problems, it weighs on you.’’

As for the Mets community, Wright is convinced better days are ahead. He had that sit-down with general manager Sandy Alderson, who has his own baseball problems to solve, and that dinner with Wilpon in Miami at the end of the season when Wilpon made it clear a deal would be reached. Wright’s agents Seth and Sam Levinson, with strong input from Keith Miller, got it done.

Now the work of winning begins. Wright started the day in the Citi Field weight room. The Mets have yet to name him their official captain, but that day is coming, too.

He knows the R.A. Dickey situation is a sticky one but is hopeful, in the end, a resolution that is best for Dickey and the Mets will occur. He talked about Derek Jeter, saying he has no doubt Jeter will return strong from the broken ankle.

Wright is the Mets’ Jeter. The Mets haven’t been able to follow the same championship path, but Wright believes that will change over the life of his new contract.

David Wright must stand tall in so many ways on and off the field. Yesterday was an impressive start.