PORT ST. LUCIE — The boss — small “b” — has spoken.

Mets owner Fred Wilpon is more visible than ever this spring training, and Monday took the unusual step of addressing the team.

Manager Terry Collins and David Wright suggested Wilpon give the talk, based on a conversation they had with the Mets patriarch over the winter.

Players were reluctant to divulge details of the meeting, but Matt Harvey said Wilpon wants to win and the discussion was about “winning.”

Michael Cuddyer said Wilpon is “optimistic” about the season and the speech was motivational in nature.

Said reliever Vic Black: “I love it. [Wilpon] loves this team.”

Wright, the Mets captain, said he couldn’t recall the last time Wilpon had addressed the team. One longtime member of the organization went as far as to say Wilpon had never addressed the team during spring training.

Earlier in camp, the 78-year-old Wilpon created a buzz by holding a closed-door meeting with Collins following an exhibition game, as reporters were waiting to speak with the manager.

Wilpon has also been spotted at more road games this spring than in recent years. But he has held steadfast in not speaking to the media. Wilpon’s last comments to the team’s beat reporters came in spring training 2013.

Approached by The Post and asked for a comment about the meeting, Wilpon shrugged, laughed and walked away.

Wilpon’s message to the team was positive, according to Wright.

“Fred has always been upbeat,” Wright said. “The vast majority of conversations I’ve ever had with Mr. Wilpon have been very upbeat, and this was nothing different.”

Did Wilpon get the team’s attention?

“When you have very few meetings, regardless of what the meetings are about, they mean a little bit more,” Wright said.

After addressing the team, Wilpon was spotted chatting with Harvey’s parents, who have been in camp for the past several days. Wilpon assumed his familiar perch behind the batting cage to watch pregame drills.

The fact Wilpon has been present for so much of spring training isn’t lost on the players.

“When you have ownership that’s around and wants to be around, it’s exciting to see that sort of support and his drive to win,” Harvey said. “That is the attitude we all took into this season, into spring training and it’s definitely in his mind, so to have it be everybody fully committed to winning from the bottom to the very top, it’s nice to have him around.”

Wilpon, a former high school pitcher, has forged a special bond with Harvey.

“He loves talking pitching so he’s around there, he loves watching bullpen [sessions], he loves asking questions,” Harvey said. “I know he’s been asking the new hitting guys what they have been doing, what drills they have been doing and he wants to be involved, and him being here for spring training has been really great.”