MLB

Wilpon apologizes; Beltran, Reyes OK with Mets owner’s call

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CHICAGO — Fred Wilpon is sorry for his “sh—y” behavior.

A day after the release of a magazine article in which Wilpon took shots at David Wright, Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes — and also called his team “sh—y” — the embattled Mets owner yesterday apologized to Beltran and Reyes on a conference call at Wrigley Field.

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Beltran and Reyes huddled in manager Terry Collins’ office at Wrigley Field hours before the Mets faced the Cubs, and heard Wilpon say he was sorry for his remarks. Wright was traveling from Los Angeles, after receiving an examination on the stress fracture on his lower back that has kept him on the disabled list for more than a week.

Reyes said Wilpon did most of the talking on the short call. Neither Beltran nor Reyes said they were fazed by Wilpon’s criticism.

“[Wilpon] asked us how we were feeling about the whole situation, if the comments were bothering us,” Reyes told The Post. “We understand there is a lot of frustration in the organization. We just need to move on.

“He can say whatever he wants to — he’s the boss and we are the employees here. All we can do is continue to play.”

Beltran, who has been criticized by ownership in the past, seemed to take Wilpon’s barbs in stride, but still wasn’t thrilled with the situation. Beltran told The Post he especially took umbrage with Wilpon’s assertion that Wright is not a superstar.

“To me, David is a superstar,” Beltran said. “I feel badly for him.”

In a profile of Wilpon written by Jeffrey Toobin that appeared in the New Yorker, the owner said Reyes, “thinks he’s going to get Carl Crawford money,” referring to the $142 million over seven years Crawford received from the Red Sox last winter. “[Reyes] has had everything go wrong with him — he’s not going to get it.”

Wilpon also chastised himself for giving Beltran a $119 million contract over seven years based on one big postseason with Houston, and said the outfielder is “65 to 70 percent” of the player he used to be.

Collins, who held a team meeting yesterday to address Wilpon’s comments, spoke with the owner earlier in the day and suggested the conference call with Beltran and Reyes. A team source said Collins was against the idea of Wilpon traveling here to address the team, because the manager did not want a circus environment heading into this three-game series. It is expected Wilpon will meet with the team during the next homestand.

“What is important is I’m healthy,” Beltran said. “I don’t feel 70 or 65 [percent], I feel 100 percent. I’m glad that I’m here helping this team.”

Beltran was ripped by ownership last year for undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery before the season. In September, COO Jeff Wilpon was angry Beltran skipped a team visit to Walter Reed Army Hospital.

“I feel like I’m a veteran with this kind of thing,” Beltran said. “This is not my first time.”

Knowing what he does now, is Beltran sorry he signed with the Mets following the 2004 season?

“That’s a question that I don’t know,” Beltran said. “But I don’t have any regrets.”

Jason Bay said the team meeting to address Wilpon’s comments was necessary.

“To not address it would have been the elephant in the room,” Bay said. “Obviously it doesn’t sound like Fred, [but] what’s done is done. We’ve got everybody’s back. The big thing was to not let it eat us from the inside out.

“When it’s your teammates, it’s tough. It happens. Maybe not this, but stuff happens.”

mpuma@nypost.com