The Post’s Steve Serby chatted this past week with the Mets’ new slugging first baseman:

Q: You’ve been called The Happiest Man In Baseball.

A: I love what I do; I wouldn’t know if that makes me the happiest person in the game.

Q: One person you would like to meet that you haven’t met.

A: Michael Jordan.

Q: What would you ask him?

A: How do you stay focused? How do you feel when everybody on the whole court knew you were gonna shoot and they couldn’t do anything against you?

Q: What kind of athletes don’t you like?

A: Arrogant; pretentious guys who think ’cause they play a sport, they’re better than anybody else.

Q: If you could be one person for a day, whom would you be?

A: You know what? I don’t want to be anybody else. I want to be myself.

Q: Who’s the best dresser on the Mets?

A: I’ll tell you after the first road trip. Spring training everybody wears sandals and shorts.

Q: Who are the biggest talkers at first base?

A: Sean Casey; Mike Sweeney; Sandy Alomar Jr.

Q: Willie Randolph?

A: He wants to get things done the right way.

Q: Shawn Green is one of your best friends?

A: We couldn’t be any more different. He’s from California, I’m from Puerto Rico; he’s Jewish, I’m Puerto Rican … we just kinda clicked. I was in his

wedding, he came to my wedding.

Q: Four home runs in one game; what do you remember about that game?

A: I remember that I don’t remember anything (except that) everything looked like slow motion down the middle of the plate.

Q: Pet peeve?

A: People telling me the same thing twice, or three times, or four times.

Q: Best piece of advice you mother or father gave you?

A: Stay humble, and never forget where you came from.

Q: If I were baseball commissioner, I would …?

A: Get rid of speed-up rules.

Q: One favorite childhood memory?

A: Going camping with my grandfather.

Q: Why was that so special?

A: We leave in the morning, we come back in the afternoon, gone all day with a loaf of bread and some ham and cheese and juice; it is perfect.

Q: Most embarrassing moment?

A: On the field, I have (had) days where I (struck out) four times and made an error to lose the game. Off the field, quite a few times I got people’s

names confused in front of a crowd and (said) the wrong name.

Q: Why did you decide to live in Manhattan?

A: Recently married, no kids, so we can live in an apartment, go enjoy the city, you know, restaurants, plays, and all that.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Michael Jordan; Malcolm X; Jesus.

Q: How did you get started with yoga?

A: I wanted to get a little bit more flexible. It’s low-impact.

Q: Best scuba diving experience?

A: I was just in the South Pacific, so we did a dive off the coast of one of the little islands. It was pretty special.

Q: What goes on when you scuba dive?

A: It’s a different world; it’s relaxing, nobody talks … the coral … the bottom of the ocean is pretty regular, so sometimes it might be flat but

different times you get like mountains underneath the water.

Q: Any scary episodes?

A: Knock on wood, none yet.

Q: But it could happen, right?

A: Yeah; it’s like crossing the street in Manhattan. But you’re still gonna cross the street.

Q: There couldn’t be any sharks in the area, could there?

A: Of course.

Q: That doesn’t scare you?

A: Nah.

Q: How are you a computer geek?

A: I don’t call myself a computer geek; I will call myself computer-friendly. I’d rather send e-mails than call people on the phone sometimes.

Q: You used to ride a mountain bike to the ballpark in Toronto?

A: It’s low-impact exercise.

Q: You won’t do that here, though, from Manhattan?

A: No chance.

Q; You’re an amateur chef?

A: I like to cook. When you’re 16 years old and you’re out by yourself, you have to survive somehow. Then you’ve been exposed to a lot of good restaurants

so you kinda pick something from here, pick something from there and try it at home.

Q: If you wanted to try impress Fred Wilpon, what would you cook him?

A: I hear he’s a very picky eater (smiles); mostly like Spanish food, but if I need to make pasta, I’d make pasta … or fish or barbecue.

Q: How did you propose to your wife?

A: Not very romantic, I just asked her, “Do you want to marry me?”

Q: Where was it?

A: We were in spring training last year; we were in the apartment just laying around after practice one afternoon.

Q: When and if Barry Bonds breaks Hank Aaron’s record, how should baseball honor it?

A: I guess we’re gonna have to wait to see what the investigation shows.

Q: What have you learned about Pedro being his teammate that you didn’t know?

A: He’s very studious of the game; it’s not by accident that he has success.

Q: Is 500 home runs a goal?

A: It would be really nice if I get to 500 home runs, I’m not gonna lie to you, but I got at least three, four years before I get there, so I’d like to

win a championship in the meantime.

Q: When you were a kid, volleyball was one of your favorite sports.

A: Actually, I quit baseball for one year.

Q: Why was the U.S Navy bombing of Vieques such an important cause for you?

A: I don’t think anybody would like having your backyard as target practice.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Shawshank Redemption.”

Q: Favorite meal?

A: I love pinon, which is like a Puerto Rican dish with fried plantains and meat and cheese; it’s just like a Puerto Rican lasagna, let’s call it.