PORT ST. LUCIE — Deciding the 25th man should offer as much controversy and contentiousness as choosing a red or white wine for dinner.

Except, with these Mets, there are always plenty of whine possibilities. This is a soap-opera team, so the 25th spot could fittingly become Payton Place with this decision evolving into another battlefield in the uneasy relationship between Bobby Valentine and the Mets’ upper management, specifically GM Steve Phillips.

The final roster spot will probably come down to Benny Agbayani vs. Jay Payton. The perception is Valentine is an

Agbayani guy and that Phillips favors Payton if for no other reason than Payton is out of options and would almost certainly be lost to waivers if he does not make the big team. Agbayani can be sent to Triple-A.

Bringing a backdrop — and potential backbiting — to this decision is what already has caused much angst in this organization, Valentine’s contractual status. Much to his displeasure, Valentine is not signed beyond this season, which means he will win big in 2000 or become unemployed. So he will want the best possible 25-man roster, and not one in which he will be compelled to nurse a player such as Payton along.

Although Phillips also has just one year left on his contract, he is in a more comfortable relationship with ownership and his job description means he has to worry about the future, and not just 2000.

“Often times, you have to make a decision that is best for the organization if it is not a significant detriment in the short term,” Phillips said.

That indicates Phillips leaning toward Payton.

Valentine said, “I think I’m pretty open-minded. When you have someone who has done something and someone who has not, it is difficult to go on a hunch that the guy who hasn’t done something will.”

Agbayani has done a little something, hitting 14 homers for Valentine last year. Payton has not, mainly because three elbow surgeries have wrecked his last four seasons.

“I haven’t really seen Jay play much,” Valentine said. “I see that he can hit a high ball, but I don’t know how many high balls you get over the course of the season. In time, he should be able to put a similar swing on other pitches and also use his speed in the outfield and on the bases.”

In general, Valentine and Phillips enjoy discussing this subject as much as rolling around a snake pit. Valentine’s pauses are pregnant as he navigates a potential verbal minefield. Phillips’ responses are terse. He is very interested in where a reporter has discerned that Valentine likes Agbayani and Melvin Mora. Phillips is known to think Valentine is a world-class leaker of information.

The distrust between them is overt despite the fact both insist the relationship is professional and hospitable.

When asked who will decide the roster, Valentine said, “I don’t know.” Phillips said, “It is a collective decision,” and “The manager has a lot of input.” Phillips, though, said he makes the final decisions if there is not unanimity, but promised a united front would be presented regardless. Don’t bet on it. Valentine did not like it last year when Mora was not put on his final roster. He did not like it when his hand-pick coaches were fired.

Most managers who have averaged 91 wins in three full years would feel they had the right to pick their coaches and roster. But all signs, right now, point to Payton making this team.

There are six reserve spots. Matt Franco and Todd Pratt are locks. With their superb spring play, the versatile Mora and the lefty-swinging Jon Nunnally are all but locks. That leaves the final places to Kurt Abbott vs. Charlie Hayes, with Abbott holding an edge because of his shortstop experience. And Agbayani vs. Payton.

Agbayani has been slowed by a hamstring injury. Meanwhile, Payton has made a case that Valentine might not be able to ignore. He went 2-for-2 yesterday against the Marlins with an RBI and steal to raise his average to .360 with two homers. He also has shown a healthy arm in the outfield.

But his greatest asset is that a belief still exists that he could be special, where a player like Agbayani has a much more limited ceiling. Yeah, Payton is 27, a year older than Edgardo Alfonzo, but Met officials, including Valentine, talk about how good the ball sounds off Payton’s bat.

Phillips has traded away two injury-prone players, Jason Isringhausen and Preston Wilson, who have gotten healthy and proven their touted prospect status elsewhere. Payton has no trade value now, but many clubs would grab him off waivers for free to take a look. So the less daring move would be to send Agbayani to the minors and at least begin the year with Payton and see if he can help. The downside is that Agbayani has shown he can be helpful in the majors off the bench. Payton has had trouble with infrequent at-bats and would most likely be the sixth outfielder on this team.

“The political part of baseball is going to finally work in my favor because I’m either going to make this team or I’m going to play in the big leagues somewhere else,” Payton said.

So the intrigue continues over the final two weeks of Met camp. Who will be the 25th man? And what will the fallout be?