NEW YORK – The 24-hour-old subject was still whether Red Sox reliever Jonathan Papelbon did or didn’t disrespect Yankees star Mariano Rivera on Monday by saying he should get the call to close out last night’s All-Star Game ahead of the Yankees legend. Now Papelbon was rifling through his locker as he dressed for the game and spewing expletives that pretty much matched the graphic on the T-shirt he wore, which featured two hands – one with its middle finger raised up in salute.

Papelbon said he was angry because when he and his pregnant wife, who is due on New Year’s Eve with their first child, both participated Tuesday in the All-Star parade down Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, they were heckled so badly because of his widely reported remarks.

“My wife told me she didn’t feel safe,” Papelbon ranted. “My wife just didn’t feel comfortable man, and she’s pregnant with a —- little baby . . . It kind of pisses you off when your family gets involved, when you’ve got a —- wife who’s pregnant and doesn’t feel safe riding in a red-carpet event.

“How would you feel? You know what I mean? They were yelling stuff. At someone pregnant. It brings a whole new thing to the mix . . . All because some ——Daily News writer was looking for a headline.”

Papelbon was asked if he still wanted to close the game, and he waved a hand disgustedly and said, “No. Not really. I don’t even give a —-anymore. If I don’t even pitch, I don’t care. This soured the whole experience for me.”

Papelbon insisted, “I said (Sunday) that I was pulling for Rivera to close the game.” But then, pointing to Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez, who was sitting quietly in the locker next to his, Papelbon added: “I mean, I want to close the game, you think this dude here doesn’t want to close the game?”

Rodriguez looked up and blinked but said nothing. Four lockers away, Rivera was sitting inside his corner locker. If he could hear Papelbon raising his voice, he didn’t let on.

A little later, Red Sox hitting coach Dave Magadan came by and put a hand on each of Papelbon’s shoulders and quietly talked to him for a while, suggesting he cool down

Papelbon nodded. Magadan left. “It just pisses me off,” Papelbon muttered again.

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AP-NY-07-15-08 2054EDT