Comments on: Mets Agree To Player Development Contract With Las Vegas 51′s

By: gorgeguy

gorgeguy — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 04:16:00 +0000

Las Vegas is freakin’ hot .. I mean it’s a dry heat and all that … but it’s HOT!

On the plus side, I may actually get to catch a few games in Tacoma.

By: Tim B

Tim B — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:38:21 +0000

All I’ve got to go on is this quote from Mike Harrington in the Buffalo News:

“Backman is known to be wary of the travel involved in the Pacific Coast League and is likely not interested in going to Vegas. He may pursue another job with the Mets or look to other organizations”

Harrington didn’t seem to be a fan of having the Mets in Buffalo that’s for sure, but he did spend a bit of time with Wally this past season so I was going by his comment when I surmised Backman may be looking elsewhere before the 2013 season begins.

By: Tim B

Tim B — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:36:18 +0000

Hey Maniac! B-Mets season ended September 3rd when they didn’t make the playoffs, I did an end of the season report later that week. Not much more to write about at this point as far as Binghamton goes (just trying to catch my breath from the daily stuff over the summer – I may try and ramp something up B-Mets wise in a few weeks).

By: BadBadLeroyBrown

BadBadLeroyBrown — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 03:11:33 +0000

I disagree….Wally has made it clear he doesnt want to be a coach on someone elses club, he wants to be the manager. Head Honcho….He has already turned down a couple coaching jobs…even Davey Johnson last year

By: Met Maniac

Met Maniac — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:42:56 +0000

Hey Tim off topic, but what happened to the minor league posts here, did you guys pack it in?

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:42:29 +0000

Well…..they had a choice. They could have fielded a decent team in Buffalo for one. They dont want to pay to watch Val Pascucci.

By: Met Maniac

Met Maniac — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:40:09 +0000

I agree, either Backman will be a coach on the Mets or a coach for another MLB team in 2013.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:35:43 +0000

If one tries to look at it from Backman’s point of view he has moved up within the organization every year since joining the Mets and he may be looking to continue that ascent in some capacity either with the Mets or quite possibly somewhere else. We know the Mets have said the AAA pitching coach will not be returning maybe next Spring it will be an entirely new AAA Coaching staff.

By: Tim B

Tim B — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:28:38 +0000

I’m with Mr North Jersey on this one – saw somewhere else this evening that Wally didn’t think much of all of the travel in the PCL and because of that may be looking ‘elsewhere’.

By: Mr North Jersey

Mr North Jersey — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:05:20 +0000

I would not be so sure that Wally Backman will be the AAA manager come 2013. I have nothing to base it on but he may just wind up on a MLB team in some capacity Mets not withstanding.

By: Moose

Moose — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 01:57:53 +0000

I like the move. Yes they are about as far away from the Parent club as can be. But look at it this way it brings the a parent team from the East Coast. Oh yes everyone would be over the Moon to have the Parent club like the Yankees. This could be the very thing to shake up the farm system and get the Mets back on track. Also look at this Wally Backman will be the Manager for the 51′s that should be big here in town. How about moving spring training to AZ out of FL. More teams are moving to the Cactus league.

By: rob

rob — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:56:16 +0000

As someone who (regretably) lives in Vegas, I’m excited about seeing the Mets AAA team. On the other hand, I’m more of a Mets fan and a Baseball fan than a Vegas fan–and this is awful awful awful.
Vegas is not a baseball town, never has been, The run down stadium is in a terrible part of town. Vegas is NOT a Baseball town–never has been, never will be. I have numerous friends who are Baseball fans—and not a single one of them bothers going to AAA games here. It’s easier to drive 4 hours to see the Dodgers in LA.

And to Hojo’s: Yes, attendance has topped 300,000 every year–but just to point something out: When the LV Stars moved here in 83 (and had future Padres’ stars like Santiago, Alomar, Baerga) the population of Vegas was 375,000.
The population is now 2.1 million.
Therefore, the population has gone up like 7x what it was…but attendance totals have remained flat.

By: Superhero

Superhero — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:55:54 +0000

You do understand that they literally had no choice on the matter, right?

By: Tim B

Tim B — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:41:10 +0000

So, will they remain the 51′s? Or change the team name? They were the Stars until 2000 when they changed affiliates from San Diego to Los Angeles – thought I had read somewhere previous to this there was some thought a name change might be in order after the 2012 season. Will be interesting to see what happens at the end of this two year deal since the Las Vegas Convention Authority wants to tear down Cashman Field and expand the convention center there – more than likely the Triple A Mets will be on the move again after 2014.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:40:41 +0000

Awful. Worse than when there AAA affiliate was in New Orleans. AAA teams are supposed to be relatively close to the parent team for easy access to players who need to be called up in emergency situations….they could’ve at least picked a team in the same time zone.