7
2011
Good For Backman
An article by 
I like that Wally Backman was finally offered the Mets’ Triple-A managerial job. It appeared Backman would take a bench coach job with Washington, which I said he should take because at the time the Mets didn’t offer him the Triple-A position.
Well, the Mets did offer that job and it is good he stays in the organization.
Backman could learn a lot by working with Davey Johnson, but he would learn significantly more by making his own decisions. Backman would stand to better his future position by managing in Buffalo rather than interning under Johnson.
Of course, we don’t know who will be on the managerial market when Terry Collins leaves, but should Backman steadily progress and he’s still in the organization, it stands to reason he’ll have the inside track for the Mets’ job.
Yes, Backman is showing loyalty to the Mets, and the organization is doing the same for him. But, this is also a business decision for Backman, who realizes his fastest road to the majors goes through Buffalo.
Thoughts from Joe D. – I’m not sure Backman will ever get another offer to manage in the majors as the one he got with Arizona almost eight years ago. It’s been a long time now and nary an offer for Backman aside from an invitation from the Mets to manage one of their affiliates, and a shout-out from his old manager Davey Johnson to join his coaching staff. Two major league offers in eight years and both because of emotional ties. Backman may or may not be the manager of the Mets in the future, who knows. Right now we have Terry Collins who seems up for the task and I see no reason to replace him now or two years from now. Maybe if Backman does something inspiring with the Bisons in 2012, some team will look beyond his past troubles and give him a shot… or maybe not. For now, he’s in the Mets organization and that’s good enough for me.
About the Author: John Delcos
I am an active member of the BBWAA and have covered Major League Baseball in several capacities for over 20 years, including ten in New York working the Mets' and Yankees' beat. I covered the Baltimore Orioles for eight years and the Cleveland Indians before that. I currently serve as an editor and senior staff writer for Mets Merized Online. Follow me on Twitter @jdelcos.
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Well said Joe. Wally is one of possibly many candidates at a date yet to be determined. If he’s the best at that time, I hope he is offered the job. If he’s not, I hope the best guy gets it.
There are many intangibles that separates one candidate from another. The choice involves not only history but also the then-present relationships with owners, coaches, players and fans. I wish Wally the best.
Here is what I see happening…
It is clear to me that the FO has given up on the next 2-3 years as far as being in any competition and are using that time to get rid of whatever salaries they can either via trade or expiration in much the way a Corporation cuts payroll by allowing retirees to retire and not replace them.
Let people go, Don’t hire a replacement just throw temps in and wait for some sign that there are enough Kids to rebuild around.
That means a LOT of losing the next 2-3 years!
And losing has consequences in NY!
Even a guy like Terry Collins will be a target for firing by that time!
We just heard a report that Sandy isn’t planning to be here long term either. So he probably doesn’t really care if he is made the Villain he has a cost cutting job to do and fans be damned!
COLD BUSINESS but not really totally out of whack with any other business on the planet!
Carl Icahn comes to mind here!
That said 2-3 years (roughly when Collins and Sandy’s contract expires) there will be a FIRESTORM for change!
It will probably start with the Manager as it always does and end with the GM as it always does once the Manager has been blamed, changed and the result doesn’t change!
Backman appears to be being groomed to be the manager of the team once the salaries are cut and the kids are stockpiled.
Question is will he wait that long? (Only if they let him in on the plan, which doesn’t seem likely)
Harvey and Familia would appear to be a year away at the earliest.
Most of the Kids we will eventually build around are already here! Tejada, Murphy, Duda et al.
I suspect Wally will be in AAA for two years and then might get a job as a coach on the MLB squad.
That would be right around the time the fans get FED UP with all the selling off of stars, the expiration of Santana and Bay’s contract, Terry Collins and Sandy’s contract ending and FRUSTRATION over the lost 3 seasons we are forcing upon ourselves in the name of Money!
No matter which side of the SMART/DUMB Plan you believe we are implementing you all KNOW that if they have not even come CLOSE to a playoff in 2-3 years that what you saw in 2010 Offseason is goping to happen again!
This time maybe DePo gets promoted and kept instead of Ricco
But the GM, Manager and likely the coaching staff will be wholesale replaced!
Will it be fair to the coaching staff that gets the boot?
Nope! because the GM gave them CHEAP CRAP to work with…
But they will get caught in the same OFF WITH THIER HEADS mentality that got Manuel and Omar fired!
And thats where Wally finally gets his shot!
So, Backman is being groomed as the next manager because he just got the job with the Bisons?
what about the guy who managed the Bisons last year? What is he doing now?
He was promoted to get him out of Wally’s way! So they had a promotion for Wally to entice him to stay!
You think Teufel is going to be the manager here?
See what happened to Teufels predecesor…
Where is he now?
So, they got him out of the way by putting him with the big club? Ya, that makes sense in a completely “holy crap this is some great crystal meth” sort of way.
Because, he has longer with the organization, worked on more of the farm teams (so he’ll more likely know the upcoming kids better than Backman), played on the 86 team, and now he gets to sit next to Collins and learn about coaching in the Show.
Wally Backman has made many bad choices in his life… that’s why he was canned by Arizona as its Field Boss less than a week after he was hired. Staying with the Mets organization in any capacity at this time is another bad choice. He’s done plenty of minor league managing, so the Buffalo job won’t add anything to his resume.
Passing up a chance to sit beside Davey Johnson in DC with the Nats’ up and coming talent is a mistake. It will be guilt by association when teams start analyzing his employment with the Mets. The stench of the next 2 or 3 years with this franchise will kill any chance he has to manage another MLB club. Don’t forget that Tim Teufel, last year’s Buffalo manager (and this year’s 3rd base coach in NY) was one of many who had Bernie Madoff recommended to him by the Wilpons and Saul Katz. Letting Teufel manage the Mets in ’13 or ’14 might be their way of easing their guilt. I just have to think that anyone who deliberately stays with this sad sack franchise will be judged poorly.