The Post’s Steve Serby sat down with the Yankee captain in a wide-ranging interview that touches on his marriage plans, his prospects of owning a major-league club, what he’s learned from his mother, Dorothy, and much more.

Q: Are you any closer to marriage than you were a year ago?

A: I think I’m more ready. You still gotta meet that person, but yeah I think definitely I’m in a position where I’m getting close. You still have to meet the person – that’s probably the tough part of the equation (chuckles) – but you have to be ready. I think I’m ready.

Q: I thought Laura Posada was going to fix you up.

A: Yeah, she’s not doing very good (smiles).

Q: How about Hideki Matsui’s new wife fixing you up?

A: She probably struggles with English a little bit, so that might be kinda difficult.

Q: Your sister (Sharlee) can’t fix you up?

A: She’s tough . . . she’s hard on people. She’s my younger sister, but she’s like my bigger sister.

Q: Alex (Rodriguez) just had his second daughter. When things like that happen, does that make you yearn more for marriage?

A: I look forward to having a family. Throughout the years, you see the players’ kids coming in the clubhouse after the game. I always look forward to something like that. Doesn’t mean that I’ve ever rushed into doing something like that, but I think, yeah, that idea or thought of that is something I really look forward to.

Q: What if your son or daughter rooted for the Red Sox?

A: While I’m still playing?

Q: Yeah.

A: I guess that would mean I’m doing something wrong at home, right (chuckles)?

Q: OK, how about when you’re done playing?

A: Oh man . . . it’d probably be tough, but you could root for whoever you want to root for. I always get a kick out of when you meet people for the first time and they apologize – “I’m sorry I’m a Met fan,” or “I’m sorry I’m a Boston fan.”

Q: With your luck, you’re gonna have one son who’s a Red Sox fan and one daughter who’s a Mets fan.

A: Let me get the first part of the equation before I worry about what teams my kids are rooting for (chuckles).

Q: Do you think you might be able to play past 40?

A: (Smiles). Let me try to get through 33.

Q: You only have one more month to go.

A: Well, let me enjoy that last month (smiles).

Q: You don’t feel your age, though?

A: No.

Q: What would you do if you found out there was a Big Papi jersey buried in your apartment?

A: Probably call Mr. Trump . . . tell him to do something about it (smiles).

Q: Give me a scouting report on your mom (Dorothy) on this Mother’s Day.

A: She’s the most optimistic person I think I’ve met. She’s always positive, she always says you can do anything you put your mind to as long as you work hard. I think I get a lot of those traits from her.

Q: Give me an example of her optimism growing up.

A: Weren’t allowed to use the word “can’t.”

Q: Best piece of advice she gave you?

A: Don’t let anyone outwork you.

Q: You told me two years ago you wanted to own a baseball team – what if the Red Sox or Mets were for sale?

A: Too expensive (smiles).

Q: If the Yankees were ever for sale, you’d be interested, I would assume?

A: They’d have to give me a BIG discount (chuckles).

Q: Is it safe to conclude you would rule out owning the Red Sox and Mets?

A: You can’t just pick and choose. I just can’t call the Steinbrenner family and say, “Oh well, I want your team now,” so . . . But I would have to say yeah, that would be kind of . . . weird. Yeah, it would be really weird. Especially Boston. The Mets, we play ’em six times a year. I think people try to make such a big deal out of (the two teams) being a rivalry when it’s really a crosstown thing. We don’t worry about the Mets, the Mets don’t worry about us unless it’s the six games we’re playing them. Boston, on the other hand, that’s a pretty heated rivalry for years.

Q: It’s still weird thinking of you owning a team that’s not the New York Yankees.

A: Hopefully, there’s a long time before you have to think about something like that (smiles).

Q: Do you have an ownership group in mind?

A: I can’t give you my details – you might try to beat me to it (smiles).

Q: If you could pick the brain of one baseball person in history?

A: Jackie Robinson.

Q: What would you ask him?

A: More of how he dealt with his situation. I don’t think anyone could imagine what he had to go through and how he was able to maintain the class and dignity that he had when people were constantly on him.

Q: Is this country ready for a black or woman president?

A: I think so. I think so, without question. You get to a point where you have to look beyond race, you have to look beyond gender and you have to look at the top candidate.

Q: You get letters from Iraq.

A: It’s an unbelievable feeling to know that someone’s over there fighting for our country, and yet they find the time to write to me here at Yankee Stadium. It puts a lot of things in perspective, but also makes you appreciate the position you’re in, in terms of playing for this organization . . . to get a chance to provide entertainment for people.

Q: You had Bob Sheppard record your Yankee Stadium introduction a couple of years ago.

A: He’s got a unique voice. It’s not one you hear all the time.

Q: What do you remember thinking watching highlights of the Giants’ parade?

A: Good for them. I was happy for them. I know what it feels like to have a parade, it’s a pretty special day.

Q: What do you remember about your first Yankee parade?

A: I was just amazed at how many people were there, and I was overwhelmed. We had people hanging from trees, light towers, everywhere . . . buildings, climbing things.

Q: You long for that feeling again?

A: Oh, no question. Especially since I know what the feeling’s like. You want to get back to that.

Q: What advice would you have for the Giants about what it takes to repeat?

A: They weren’t expected to win, we weren’t expected to win (in 1996), so you go into the next season, now all of a sudden, you’re the measuring stick. When teams play you, they want to beat you, regardless of whether it’s the first-place or last-place team. They get up for you. Even if you’re playing teams that are out of it or with losing records, they’ll use that as their Super Bowl, so to speak.

Q: So how do you have to approach the next season?

A: You have to have the same attitude. You’ve won already – that’s over with and done with. You have to have that same hunger like you never won before.

Q: Ozzie Guillen called you The Perfect Man. Tell me how you’re not The Perfect Man.

A: (Chuckles). How I’m not? There’s a lot of reasons why I’m not, but I’m not gonna share that with you (chuckles).

Q: One thing you could change about yourself?

A: I think it takes me a long time before I trust someone. But I think that’s a good trait to have, as well.

Q: Why?

A: Because you don’t want people to take advantage of you . . . sort of a double-edge sword, I guess, right?

Q: Especially when you’re looking for a partner in life, correct?

A: Well, you could fool me, but you’d have to get by my mom and my sister next, and those two are pretty tough.

Q: But you’re a good judge of character, aren’t you?

A: I’d like to think so. I’m talking to you, right (chuckles)?

Q: How would you describe Hank Steinbrenner’s ownership style?

A: I’d say very similar to his dad. He’s very involved . . . wants to win. You can say that about the entire Steinbrenner family. And they expect perfection, which I think is a good thing.

Q: Your top two Yankee Stadium memories are the two championships you won at home. What would be No. 3?

A: We had the time in 2003 when we played Boston in Game 7 here. That was pretty special. You have the whole World Series in 2001, especially Games 4 and 5 where we came back in the end. Those are probably as loud as I’ve heard Yankee Stadium.

Q: What do you miss most about Joe Torre?

A: He always had some good restaurants for us to eat at on the road (chuckles). Mr. T is like a second father to me. I’ve grown up with him. I’ve been with him since I was 21 years old. He’s a special person.

Q: Have you spoken to him this year?

A: Yeah.

Q: He’s called you, you called him?

A: Both. He texts now.

Q: Just general stuff?

A: Yeah, just general.

Q: Is it safe to assume most of his restaurant recommendations were Italian?

A: Yeah, pretty much I’d have to say 100 percent of ’em were Italian (chuckles).

Q: What will his legacy be?

A: Winning. He was here 12 years, we went to six World Series and won four of them. That’s pretty tough to do.

Q: Former or current teammate you think will be a good manager?

A: Luis Soto.

Q: Have you, or will you, reach out to Roger Clemens?

A: We’ve communicated, yes. Rocket’s been a friend for a long time. He’ll always be a friend.

Q: If you knew the world would end in 24 hours, what would you do?

A: Spend it with family.

Q: And what would be your last meal?

A: Chicken parmigiana and ice cream. Gold Medal Ribbon. Baskin Robbins.

Q: Your road routine?

A: It’s pretty much the same as when I’m at home. I force myself to get up to eat breakfast . . . go back to sleep . . . then I get up to go eat lunch and go to the stadium.

Q: But you don’t have your talented cook Lisa with you on the road.

A: Room service for breakfast and then go out to lunch.

Q: The All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium?

A: Couldn’t be more fitting for it to be here at this Stadium – last year at Yankee Stadium. If I don’t ever play in another one, hopefully I do, but if I don’t ever, this is the one I’d want to play in.

Q: How did you feel wearing glasses in your Ford commercial?

A: Very intelligent (chuckles).

Q: The first of three Derek Jeter 24 Hour Fitness centers opens late next month.

A: Everyone should work out, everyone should be active. It makes you feel good about yourself. It makes you obviously a lot healthier. I think kids nowadays aren’t as active as when we were younger. Now they’re sitting at home playing video games all the time.

Q: Best movie you’ve seen in the last year?

A: “American Gangster.”

Q: What inspires you?

A: I’m inspired to be as good as I can be. You’re never gonna be perfect, but I think everyone strives to be perfect.

Q: If you had to give me one reason why you’ve been relentlessly consistently successful, what would that reason be?

A: Never satisfied. You can never be satisfied with anything that you’ve done, because once you do that, it’s time to go home. No one’s perfect, like I said, and you gotta work extremely hard day in and day out, and you get a chance to reflect on everything when you’re finished.

Q: What do you think about when you walk under that DiMaggio quote in the runway – “I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee?”

A: It’s exactly how I feel. I can really relate to what DiMaggio meant when he said it.