MLB

WILPON NOT HAPPY, BUT BACKS MINAYA

Jeff Wilpon made it clear yesterday: Omar Minaya isn’t going anywhere.

“Omar’s our general manager,” the Mets’ chief operating officer said. “Omar’s going to be our general manager.”

That endorsement came even though Minaya either was unaware or ignored the recently fired VP of player development Tony Bernazard’s boorish behavior, his own public relations disaster on Monday and the fact that he presides over an organization that has been hugely disappointing this season.

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Despite his support, Wilpon said that he wasn’t pleased with where the team is going.

“We need to do better,” Wilpon said before the Mets beat the Rockies last night, 4-0 at Citi Field. “Ownership is not happy with the direction right now.”

That direction is one that has left the team with an injury-riddled roster and struggling minor league affiliates.

“Obviously, we have to play better on the field,” Wilpon said. “We have to get the guys back and once that happens, we’ll see how well this team can do. It is disappointing and I understand the fans’ disappointment as well.”

Minaya was not available one day after he called out a reporter during a press conference that was originally supposed to be about Bernazard’s firing.

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Wilpon said the Mets and Minaya were “very sorry” about how the GM questioned the ethics of Daily News Mets beat writer Adam Rubin on Monday by saying that he “lobbied” for a job with the Mets, a charge Rubin denied and Wilpon said didn’t happen.

Wilpon said that the team had placed calls to Rubin to apologize.

None of that changes the fact that the team, which won its fourth straight last night, has been a mess for most of the season after making a habit out of late-season collapses.

But Wilpon stood by Minaya.

“Right now the idea is Omar is our general manager, period,” Wilpon said.

And he defended his own lack of presence this season.

“I think I have a very visible role,” Wilpon said. “I don’t need to have any more visible role. I’m in touch with Omar. We communicate very well on a daily basis. I don’t think there’s anything else I can be doing.”

dan.martin@nypost.com