The New York Post’s Phil Mushnick marvels at the ability of WFAN’s Joe Benigno Gazingo (above) to ridicule one of his regulars.

They used to mock Edison; they’d tap the sides of their heads and say he’s a few watts short of a candle.

Columbus? Forget it. They never thought they’d ever see him again. “See ya, wouldn’t want to be ya,” they’d chant in the village square, often right to his face.

And until William the Conqueror showed he was serious, they called him Bill.

And Tuesday morning, on WFAN’s Joe Benigno show, they laughed at “Steve from Staten Island”

But, at least to this listener, Steve’s idea was brilliant. It went something like this:

First, it only applies to National League games – games without designated hitters – and teams on the road, because they bat first. OK, now let’s say the Mets, Saturday, started Steve Trachsel. It’s therefore reasonable to believe that the one guy who won’t get into Sunday’s game is Trachsel.

So now it’s Sunday, and while the Mets are expected to start Tom Glavine, Willie Randolph writes Trachsel into the ninth spot in the order, as his starting pitcher.

Now let’s say the Mets start quickly. They’ve scored three in the top of the first and the bases are loaded.

But the inning – one in which the Mets could blow the game open – likely will end because the pitcher, in this case Trachsel, according to the lineup card, is due up.

But because the Mets weren’t really going to start Trachsel, they pinch hit for him, thus giving themselves a better chance to score, five, six, 10 runs in the first, instead of three.

Such a happenstance – the Mets batting around in the top of the first – may not happen all season. Or it may happen 10 times.

But by writing in the previous day’s starter as the next day’s starter what do they have to lose?

If the Mets don’t reach the ninth batter in the top of the first, they simply announce that they’ve decided to replace Trachsel with Glavine.

Benigno laughed at him. But at least he let him speak. Later in the day on FAN, Steve wouldn’t have had the opportunity to speak two sentences before being interrupted, mocked, shouted down and disconnected.

Then again, with some radio hosts, Alexander Graham Bell could be calling with an idea and they’d hang up the phone on him.