Bill Madden’s piece this morning illustrates the significant change in direction they took on this winter. Its becoming more and more clear that Tony Bernazard’s Rasputin-like hold was realized last year by Jeff Wilpon and he has quite frankly taken over on personnel matters. He’s done well.

Madden does a good job in pointing to the value and experience of newcomers like Wally Backman and Bob Melvin. Terry Collins has taken over as coordinator of minor league operations. Tim Teufel has been promoted to AA. What Madden left out were the intangibles, the most important of which is leadership and where it comes from.

Bernazard was a centralized control freak who had grasped control of far too many parts of the organization, including intricate on field details. As spring training unfolds, uniformed field managers and coaches will be providing the leadership. Motivation and instruction will come from them and not from someone like Bernazard. Players will rightfully feel that they are playing for a manager, not some omnipresent threatening force.

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Bill Madden throws cold water on the chances of the Mets signing Jason Bay.

Can’t say that I blame Madden. The Mets haven’t really made a good deal since bringing Johan Santana to New York. Jeff Francoeur fell in their lap. Their questionable frugality in signing amatuer talent was on display when they gave away Billy Wagner who will be closing this season for a division opponent.

Plus the unthinkable…who really wants to play for the Mets right now? Minaya’s powers of persuassion are not what they once were, thus putting the Mets in the position of having to clearly outbid for the services of talent. The Mets could meerly be used just to drive up the market for players whom have no intention of signing on to what can understandably be looked at as a dysfunctional organization. A seasoned observer such as Madden is sure to be aware of just this possibility.

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Three All-Stars are out of the starting line-up in Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado. The meaning the three have to the offense is incalculable. No team could be expected to keep going at the same offensive pace without these pieces. Two starters are out and the main set-up man are also missing. The injury situation is cataclysmic making the record understandable. One can never make a complete nor fair assessment of a team with such an injury report.

Having said that, there is something that troubles me about the Mets and it does not involve people in uniform. Bill Madden’s column this week revealed again the odd influence that Tony Bernazard has that clearly serves to undermine the manager. We’ve been down this road before with Bernazard as his role in making Wille Randolph’s job was documented last season.

If Bernadard is again constantly whispering in the Wilpon’s ears and roaming around the clubhouse as a clubhouse lawyer, don’t expect any good to come from it. Even when we get all those players back.

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