The Mets Police

Scott sent this over..a radio interview with Wally Backman.   Interesting to me that Wally thinks his strength is handling a pitching staff.   Imagine if the manager of the Mets were an '86 Met, who was feisty, and could handle pitchers. That would be fun.

That being said, since I do want the Mets to win (while not dressed like a softball team) I hope Jerry Manuel is about to run off 15 straight World Series championships...and don't forget Mets fans, even if he does - Yankee fans will still hit us with 27-17, so don't obsess over them.

Listen to Wally, "I want to win another World Championship."  He didn't use the word caliber.  Win. It. All.

Here's the download of the Backman audio. 

Updated:  got a nice note from the radio host Jake Stevens who shares:

The station is ESPN1230 in Bakersfield, CA, and my official webpage is www.thereitisjake.com  Thanks again and hope you enjoy the interview and keep up the great work.   

Thanks for the cool interview with Wally!

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This is a great read Mets fans....here's a small taste, then go read the rest.

Q: What was so great about playing in New York?

A: I’ve seen George Foster get five hits one game and strike out to end the game, and 55,000 people boo him. Believe it or not, I like that (bleep), ’cause it kept you on your toes all the time.

The rest is here. Wally talks about his favorite childhood memory (you'll never guess) and Gooden's awesome curve which is something you younger Mets fans will never quite understand.. It was amazin'




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Former New York Mets star Wally Backman has been named the newest manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones, tabbed to lead the club in its tenth season of play. 

Backman was a standout second baseman for the Mets in the 1980s - a gritty, hard-nosed table-setter at the top of the lineup for a team that won divisional titles in 1986 and 1988, and an iconic World Series championship in 1986.Brooklyn, NY, November 16, 2009 - Former New York Mets star Wally Backman has been named the newest manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones, tabbed to lead the club in its tenth season of play.

Backman was a standout second baseman for the Mets in the 1980s - a gritty, hard-nosed table-setter at the top of the lineup for a team that won divisional titles in 1986 and 1988, and an iconic World Series championship in 1986.

Backman played in the major leagues for 14 seasons, including nine with the Mets (1980-1988), and five with the Minnesota Twins (1989), Pittsburgh Pirates (1990), Philadelphia Phillies (1991, 1992), and Seattle Mariners (1993). He finished his career with a.980 fielding percentage, and is one of only 66 MLB players ever to notch six hits in a singlegame (4/27/90). Backman's 106 stolen bases with the Mets ranks eighth on the franchise's all-time list and his.283 career batting average for New York ranks ninth. Backman hit.333 in six games against the Boston Red Sox in the Mets' 1986 World Series win.

"I am thrilled and grateful to be coming back to the Mets' organization," said Backman. "The greatest days of my professional career were spent here in New York, and I have always felt a special connection to the city. I am especially excited to be joining the Cyclones. Brooklyn is a major minor-league team, and I know the borough's fans are - like me - intensely passionate about baseball and about winning."

Backman's appointment as the Cyclones' manager also marks a return to the New York-Penn League for the fifty-year-old Oregon native. Originally selected by the Mets in the first round (16th overall) of the 1977 draft out of Aloha High School (OR), an 18-year-old Backman made his professional debut with the then-affiliate Little Falls club in the NYPL, and hit.325 in 69 games.

"We couldn't be happier to welcome Wally to Brooklyn, "said Cyclones General Manager Steve Cohen. "He has always been a fan favorite in New York, symbolizing the blue-collar work ethic and unbridled dedication to winning that this city - and particularly this borough - values above all else in its sports stars. Brooklyn and Backman were made for each other."

After retiring as a player, Backman began a managerial career in 1997. In 2001, he was hired by the Chicago White Sox, and helmed their Winston-Salem (A) club. In 2002, he led the Birmingham Barons (AA) to a 79-61 record, and a Southern League title. In 2004, he was hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and led their Lancaster (A) club to an 86-54 record, earning him honors as the Sporting News "Minor League Manager of the Year." He was named the Diamondbacks' manager in November of that year, but was relieved of that position four days later. Backman returned to managing in 2007, guiding the independent South Georgia Peanuts to the South Coast League's inaugural title. In 2008, he managed the Northern League's Joliet Jackhammers.

Wally Backman will be available for comments at an 11:00am press conference at KeySpan Park in Coney Island on Tuesday, November 17th (located at 1904 Surf Avenue at West 17th Street).

The Brooklyn Cyclones are a Short-Season Class A affiliate of the New York Mets. In its first nine seasons of play, the team has led the New York-Penn League, and the entire Short-Season classification, in attendance each year, drawing nearly 2.5 million total fans to Coney Island's KeySpan Park. The Cyclones have advanced to the postseason six times, and won a league championship in 2001.

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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?

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

Not sure what to make of this. ...a post about Wally replacing Willie - then the theory withdrawn. I link, you decide.

http://brooklynmetfan.com/?p=843

Here's the tease:

*** UPDATE - It has been brought to BMF’s attention by people in the know that SNY was in fact resistant to air this series and word is Backman is no where near the top of the list of potential future managers. So I guess I’m way off base with the post below. Oh well it sure was a good theory while it lasted!***

BMF was shocked when I flipped on SNY friday afternoon only to find "Playing For Peanuts" a half hour documentary series on Wally Backman’s return to managing in the independent league for the South Georgia Peanuts.

About a week and a half ago we published who are the real and the fake owners of numbers 1 - 4 for the Mets http://themetspolice.blogspot.com/2008/04/whos-1.html

As this is an angoing series, here are numbers 5 through 10 (once again thanks to Mets By The Numbers):

5
Rightful Owner(s): Davey Johnson & David Wright
Rent-A-Met: John Olerud

Comment: Wright will never be the only owner of tha number regardless of what he does. As for Olerud, most of that 1999-2000 team was rented.

6
Rightful Owner(s): Al Weiss & Wally Backman
Rent-A-Met: Daryl Boston

Comment: Sadly Wally is still persona non grata in most MLB circles. As for Boston......nop, got nothing

7

Rightful Owner(s): Ed Kranepool & Jose Reyes
Rent-A-Met: Juan Samuel

Comment: I still cringe when I think about all we gave up for....ugh...Juan Samuel. Hell I still remember where I was when I heard the news (on a train between Limerick and Galwayin Ireland. I think I screamed.)

8

Rightful Owner(s): Nobody
Rent-A-Mets: Yogi Berra & Gary Carter

Comment: Yogi was and always will be a Yankee. Gary - as much as he may have loved NY and was the final piece of the 86 puzzle - was an Expo.

9

Rightful Owner(s): Todd Hundley
Rent-A-Met(s): Joe Torre & Todd Zeile

Comment: Torre the player was a Brave - Torre the manager was a Yankee. The fact that he transitioned as a Met doesn't make him a Met.

10

Rightful Owner(s): Rusty Staub
Rent-A-Met: Nobody

Comment: Rusty wore 4 with his first stint, but was in 10 much longer. And yeah, he was an All-Star 6 times elsewhere and never with the Mets - but he played more years here than anywhere else.

11 through 15 next week.