PORT ST. LUCIE — Yoenis Cespedes never had heard of Goose Gossage until Thursday, but surmised he was a pitcher when apprised of the Hall of Famer’s bombastic comments.

In an ESPN interview, Gossage ripped Jose Bautista and Cespedes for showboating on home runs.

“Bautista is a f—ing disgrace to the game,” Gossage said. “He’s embarrassing to all the Latin players, whoever played before him. Throwing his bat and acting like a fool, like all those guys in Toronto. Cespedes, same thing.”

Cespedes, who played three innings for the Mets in their 7-2 exhibition victory over the Cardinals, defended his actions.

“Whenever a pitcher strikes someone out they get to celebrate, too,” Cespedes said through an interpreter. “They get to have their moment and revel in it, so why can’t the batters get a chance to enjoy their success, too? I will stick by that.”

Cespedes said he had not heard of Gossage.

“Was he a pitcher?” Cespedes said.

Then he added: “I am not too worried about what anyone says about me. I’m just going to go out there and do my job. That is all I’m going to focus on.”

Does Cespedes worry that his celebrating might be misconstrued?

“You don’t think about that,” he said. “It just comes out in the moment when you are playing.”

Manager Terry Collins said times have changed, and bat flips are a more accepted part of the game.

“It’s not just one or two guys — there are several guys you see it happen [with],” Collins said. “But the old-timers, that is something that wasn’t approved of years ago and today it’s different.”

Gossage’s rant to ESPN wasn’t limited to bat-flip celebrations. The former fireballer also ripped the “nerds” who run the game.

“The game is becoming a freaking joke because of the nerds who are running it,” Gossage said. “I’ll tell you what has happened, these guys played rotisserie baseball at Harvard or wherever the f— they went and they thought they figured the f—ing game out. They don’t know s—.

“A bunch of f—ing nerds running the game. You can’t slide into second base. You can’t take out the f—ing catcher because [Buster] Posey was in the wrong position and they are going to change all the rules. You can’t pitch inside anymore. I’d like to knock some of these f—ers on their ass and see how they would do against pitchers in the old days.”