Category: Wally Backman

My co-writer Cyclones Fan is probably going to disagree, and that’s cool, but this precinct of The Mets Police thinks a Backman petition is silly.

Jerry is the new manager. Let;s support the guy. As much as I enjoy giving this team a hard time, I do want them to win….J-Man is the manager. Let’s let him take a stab at winning the pennant before we run him out of town.

Besides, Lee Mazzilli should be next manager. Wally can be bench coach.

Here’s the press release:

New York, NY (PRWEB) June 20, 2008 — A petition urging the New York Mets to hire Wally Backman as a minor league manager has begun to circulate on the Internet. The disgruntled New York fan base has begun passing the petition around, hoping to convince team ownership to bring the former second baseman back into the organization.

The “Hire Wally Backman” petition cites Backman’s managerial track record and his ability to develop major league players as the main reason to bring Backman back into the Mets organization. Backman was named Sporting News Minor League Manager of the Year in 2004 and has managed current major leaguer players, including Dan Uggla, Aaron Rowand, Conor Jackson and Carlos Quentin.

Backman was a Major League infielder from 1981-1993 and was the second baseman on the 1986 World Series Champion New York Mets. He began managing in 1997 with the independent Catskill Cougars.

“I grew up watching Wally and those great Mets teams and have always been a big fan of his hustle and grit,” says petition creator Michael Curtin. “He has a similar style as a manager — emphasizing communication and inspiring hustle while demanding fundamental baseball. Any team should want guys like that in their minor league system. It just makes perfect sense to bring Backman into the Mets organization.”

….

The Hire Wally Backman Petition can be found online at: http://www.petitiononline.com/backman/petition.html

>In 2004 the Arizona Diamondbacks hired, then 4 days later fired Wally Backman. Backman’s transgressions were all of a personal nature and had been well-documented prior to the offer from Arizona. Arizona simply got scared and in the process Backman got screwed. Four years later and Backman is managing an independent team – the Joliet Jackhammers – in the Northern League.

I bring up Backman because the other day I was watching Harold Reynolds on the Mets post game show on SNY and thought it was great that they had given Reynolds a second chance after his alleged inappropriate behavior and subsequent firing from ESPN. The allegations against Reynolds were bad, and he was punished appropriately for it. He paid his dues and now has a second chance thanks to the Mets.

Darryl Strawberry is another example. How many transgressions over the years has Darryl committed? How many second chances has he gotten, not just from the Mets, but from other teams as well? Darryl now seems to have finally kicked those demons and has been an asset to the Mets, both in studio and as a roving instructor for the team. Again, kudos to the Mets for giving him the opportunity.

But what about Wally?

Backman was one of the sparks of the only Mets team to win a World Series in the last 30 years. He has said time and time again that he has always considered himself a Met first, and he owes much to the fans in NY. He has proven himself as a manager in the minors – winning Minor League Manager of the Year. So where is his second chance?

Since Backman’s firing from Arizona in 2004, the Mets have hired a dozen managers for their 5 main minor league teams (AAA Norfolk/New Orleans, AA Binghamton, A St. Lucie, A Hagerstown/Savannah, A Brooklyn). Five of those men have managed multiple times (Ken Oberkfell 4, Tim Tuefel 3, Edgar Alfonzo 2, Frank Cacciatore 2, & Mako Oliveras 2).

That leaves seven men who have been hired to manage just one year: Donovan Mitchell, Gary Carter, Gene Richards, George Greer, Jack Lind, Juan Samuel, Mookie Wilson.

Why couldn’t the Mets have hired Wally for one of those positions rather than say George Greer or Juan Samuel?

The Mets gave a second chance to a man who had no links to the organization (Reynolds), yet won’t show support to a man who still identifies himself with this team?

They hire a Yankee to manage their team, yet ignore someone who won a ring with them.

Why won’t they give Wally a second chance?

In 2004 the Arizona Diamondbacks hired, then 4 days later fired Wally Backman. Backman’s transgressions were all of a personal nature and had been well-documented prior to the offer from Arizona. Arizona simply got scared and in the process Backman got screwed. Four years later and Backman is managing an independent team – the Joliet Jackhammers – in the Northern League.

I bring up Backman because the other day I was watching Harold Reynolds on the Mets post game show on SNY and thought it was great that they had given Reynolds a second chance after his alleged inappropriate behavior and subsequent firing from ESPN. The allegations against Reynolds were bad, and he was punished appropriately for it. He paid his dues and now has a second chance thanks to the Mets.

Darryl Strawberry is another example. How many transgressions over the years has Darryl committed? How many second chances has he gotten, not just from the Mets, but from other teams as well? Darryl now seems to have finally kicked those demons and has been an asset to the Mets, both in studio and as a roving instructor for the team. Again, kudos to the Mets for giving him the opportunity.

But what about Wally?

Backman was one of the sparks of the only Mets team to win a World Series in the last 30 years. He has said time and time again that he has always considered himself a Met first, and he owes much to the fans in NY. He has proven himself as a manager in the minors – winning Minor League Manager of the Year. So where is his second chance?

Since Backman’s firing from Arizona in 2004, the Mets have hired a dozen managers for their 5 main minor league teams (AAA Norfolk/New Orleans, AA Binghamton, A St. Lucie, A Hagerstown/Savannah, A Brooklyn). Five of those men have managed multiple times (Ken Oberkfell 4, Tim Tuefel 3, Edgar Alfonzo 2, Frank Cacciatore 2, & Mako Oliveras 2).

That leaves seven men who have been hired to manage just one year: Donovan Mitchell, Gary Carter, Gene Richards, George Greer, Jack Lind, Juan Samuel, Mookie Wilson.

Why couldn’t the Mets have hired Wally for one of those positions rather than say George Greer or Juan Samuel?

The Mets gave a second chance to a man who had no links to the organization (Reynolds), yet won’t show support to a man who still identifies himself with this team?

They hire a Yankee to manage their team, yet ignore someone who won a ring with them.

Why won’t they give Wally a second chance?

>While we here at The Mets Police are clearly in favor of the Mets firing Randolph, we have restrained from name calling – not so others. There is a scathing article by Paul Ruddick at The Sports Network in response to Willie’s racial/it’s not racial comments:

“Randolph is a moron, plain and simple. It’s a desperate move to pull the race card. I am almost embarrassed to admit that Randolph was one of my idols growing up.”

He continues with something most of us have been thinking about: “I used to wonder why it took Randolph so long to become a manager. Now I know why. He is just not that good. There is a reason he was passed over for just about every job in the league. Maybe he doesn’t have the temperament to be a big league skipper.“

Ruddick goes on to suggest taht Willie’s replacement should not be Lee as we feel, but rather Wally Backman. While I love Backman and agree with Ruddick that he has been short-changed, I don’t see Wilpon willing to give him another chance in MLB.

Randolph digging his own grave in New York

While we here at The Mets Police are clearly in favor of the Mets firing Randolph, we have restrained from name calling – not so others. There is a scathing article by Paul Ruddick at The Sports Network in response to Willie’s racial/it’s not racial comments:

“Randolph is a moron, plain and simple. It’s a desperate move to pull the race card. I am almost embarrassed to admit that Randolph was one of my idols growing up.”

He continues with something most of us have been thinking about: “I used to wonder why it took Randolph so long to become a manager. Now I know why. He is just not that good. There is a reason he was passed over for just about every job in the league. Maybe he doesn’t have the temperament to be a big league skipper.“

Ruddick goes on to suggest taht Willie’s replacement should not be Lee as we feel, but rather Wally Backman. While I love Backman and agree with Ruddick that he has been short-changed, I don’t see Wilpon willing to give him another chance in MLB.

Randolph digging his own grave in New York