It’s time for the Wally Backman era to begin!
Artwork courtesy of Joe Petruccio’s My NY Mets Journal Blog
Aug 03
Joe Petruccio’s Mets Art: “It’s time for the Wally Backman era to begin!”
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47 comments
rustyjr
8/3/2010-5:12pm at 5:12 pm (UTC -4)
On the money !
trs86
8/3/2010-7:17pm at 7:17 pm (UTC -4)
Well that certainly would turn a border line joke into a laugher.
What is it with over-hyping 86ers?
The guy is a joke, I can’t see the Wilpons going in that direction.
fongy2
8/3/2010-8:57pm at 8:57 pm (UTC -4)
Well we don’t agre on all that much TRS BUT I’m pretty much with ya on Wally. I wouldn’t go
so far as to call the man ” A Joke” BUT with minimal experience, no MLB Coaching or
Managing experience and his
well known hot-headedness,
I don’t see him as the next Met Mgr. Maybe if Teufel gets the job, which I also think
is highly unlikely,he’s on
the Coaching staff. But again
unlikely. I have a hard time believing Wally’s antics play
well on a veteran laden, well paid,in the big city type team.
This ain’t 20 years ago when he was stil a player. Dynamics
have changed, Superstars are far more spoiled and demanding than even back in the late 80s/early 90s, the money is even crazier AND there are ALOT more questions to answer
to for every little move a Mgr
makes…And doesn’t,especially
in NYC.
trs86
8/4/2010-12:06am at 12:06 am (UTC -4)
Fongy I think I missed this so sorry.
You said it much better than I did
“I have a hard time believing Wally’s antics play
well on a veteran laden, well paid,in the big city type team.”
“ALOT more questions to answer
to for every little move a Mgr
makes…And doesn’t,especially
in NYC.”
oleosmirf
8/4/2010-1:23am at 1:23 am (UTC -4)
i agree, not sure Bobby V can work here either but at least his reputation earns him respect…
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-9:33pm at 9:33 pm (UTC -4)
A joke?
Kind of a strange thing to say.
His record is pretty good and he already was hired by an MLB team to manage.
Were Billy Martin and Earl Weaver jokes?
Strange thing to say TRS.
trs86
8/3/2010-10:35pm at 10:35 pm (UTC -4)
Backman doing something I have NEVER seen any manager come close to doing.
Not an isolated incident
Circus
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-10:53pm at 10:53 pm (UTC -4)
Well, I have seen that and it is embarrassing and ridiculous.
But Piniella, Martin, and Weaver (and Hal McRae!) never came close to that? I very much disagree.
Also, the fact that it was in front of hundreds might lessen it, but the clear presence of kids makes it pretty ridiculous and inexcusably embarrassing.
Still, it is pro baseball, not teaching or something that real adults do.
I would imagine that even if they give Wally a shot, he will have to make it through the year in Brooklyn without an incident, and probably have a very short leash and a very strong clause in his contract regarding on and off field behavior.
trs86
8/3/2010-11:00pm at 11:00 pm (UTC -4)
but why take that risk Kingman?
You take that risk for a guy like Lou because his resume backs it up.
Wally has what 4 days as an MLB manager?
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:03pm at 11:03 pm (UTC -4)
How many playoff appearances do Weaver, Martin, and Piniella have among them?
Not a perfect comparison for sure, but there definitely is something to the “fiery” leader.
As I have said, I like Teufel as a sleeper to be the new Gardenhire. I love that guy.
But I can see the Wilpons going with Backman—not only as a cheap way to gain publicity, but also because it would be SOOOOO perfect if they hire him, the team gets off to a 35-20 start, then Backman has a ridiculous meltdown and they have to fire him!
In all seriousness, imagine the media firestorm which would ensue, and how cosmically perfect would that be after the last few years!
trs86
8/3/2010-11:06pm at 11:06 pm (UTC -4)
I just think it’s asking for a media disaster at every turn.
Just not worth the risk. GO get someone firey that is not insane without legal issues and does not have a video that can be posted every 5 seconds when ever something goes wrong.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:10pm at 11:10 pm (UTC -4)
I am really not disputing just about anything you say, other than that some successful managers have had some incidents that, while not quite as bad, were pretty childish and ridiculous.
In addition, remember that there were not mikes close enough for the actual audio of Billy Martin and Earl Weaver’s 70s tirades to be captured and broadcast for the world to listen to.
I am sure they were every bit as childishly profane.
trs86
8/3/2010-11:27pm at 11:27 pm (UTC -4)
Possible but this is the day of the media and perception is reality right?
I might change my mind if he was managing the Mets in 1970 but then he would have been what? 8?
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:30pm at 11:30 pm (UTC -4)
LOL!
He could have been Gil Hodges’ successor as a profane 12 year old!
Mr North Jersey
8/3/2010-11:45pm at 11:45 pm (UTC -4)
Well said King.
As far as judging him based on his past I would need to know all the details to weigh if he is a man that repeatedly has anger issues.
Again he had an incident occur in his personal life that he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and ordered to go to anger management.
In the event that occurred the women that was involved later said “I’m terribly embarrassed it has come back to hurt Wally… It was not his fault.”
http://arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20041103&content_id=909534&vkey=news_ari&fext=.jsp&c_id=ari
He then in 2007 is documented by the TV series Playing for Peanuts where he has a incident where he goes off on the field big time.
As far as I am aware this is not something he always does since i have yet to see any video surface of such a thing and one has to wonder how much if at all he was playing it up for cameras that were documenting his season.
In the end the point is this talk of a trend comes down to 2 incidents one that the person involved apologized for the trouble it had caused him since the person said it wasn’t even his fault.
The other was an incident that he cursed and threw bats on field for a Guiness record. he didnt hit no one he didnt use any racial slurs he cursed something many of the greatest managers did well.
All this in the end is to say Judge him on his qualifications of who he is now not what he he did in 2007 for a tv documentary and not for 1 incident in his personal life.
The dui he had in 1999 was dumb something that many do every day but if we are not going to hire managers based on that then Larussa better start packing.
trs86
8/3/2010-11:59pm at 11:59 pm (UTC -4)
These things show a trend in my opinion. Of course he was also ask about any legal issues before being hired by Dbacks, lied and was hired and fired in 4 days.
He may be cured and these may have been isolated in the minds of some or excused in the minds of many.
However, if you are the Mets, why take the risk for a guy with a very low level resume?
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:59pm at 11:59 pm (UTC -4)
Well said by YOU Mr N!
Did not know about the TV documentation of the team with which the incident occured. Puts it in an entirely different light.
Nice work sir.
oleosmirf
8/4/2010-1:32am at 1:32 am (UTC -4)
how can the Mets be anymore of a media disaster than they are now?
im sure if you could here the language these guys say, it would be very similar.
saltygary
8/4/2010-10:45am at 10:45 am (UTC -4)
LOLZ Pick the S*** up you Dumb Mother Effers!!! LOLLLL
GravediggerHebner
8/3/2010-9:40pm at 9:40 pm (UTC -4)
Even putting all the personal stuff aside it’s not clear to me that his managerial experience/performance suggests he deserves a major league gig.
People who would know better than I would have noted that in his minor league career his record is wildly inconsistent and have suggested that he has only won when he had “stacked teams” (their phrase).
Keeping it just to those within the Mets organization I’d say Oberkfell and Teufel have both paid more dues and should be ahead of Backman in the pecking order so unless there is something about Backman that makes him stand out significantly positively over either of those two I would say one of them gets first crack. At the very least I know if I were one of them I’d be pretty pissed having spent the better part of the last decade working up the ladder to have this guy swoop in, manage one season of short A ball, then get the big league job.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-9:47pm at 9:47 pm (UTC -4)
Personally, Teufel has been my top choice for a while.
Loved him as a player.
Go back and check out that 1987 season. Unreal.
Just think they might take the easy/cheap way to attract attention with fans and the media, which might be Wally. But Teufel was an 86er also, as we all know.
GravediggerHebner
8/3/2010-10:29pm at 10:29 pm (UTC -4)
I have no idea if Teufel is a “better manager” than Backman or not, in fact I hear nothing about Teufel’s managerial abilities at all, I only glean from third parties that Backman may be overrated. Assuming (dangerous I know) that’s true I hold out hope that Teufel’s “86-ness” will get him a shot. Some sort of managerial platoon perhaps…
trs86
8/3/2010-10:40pm at 10:40 pm (UTC -4)
but that tirade on the umps is for sure not overrated. It’s actually underrated as one of the most idiotic things I have ever seen a manager do. One that is supposed to be a role model. One that should understand that at a game at that level it’s mostly kids in the stands.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:04pm at 11:04 pm (UTC -4)
Yeah, I agree with that totally.
Mr North Jersey
8/3/2010-11:05pm at 11:05 pm (UTC -4)
As usual Grave your comments are well said.
I can’t say how good or bad Wally is over say Teufel or Oberkfell. The truth is no one can really say. The only person that I have been impressed with now for 2 seasons is the Gnats pitching coach Marc Valdes.
He is the only person I would push to see move up and get a chance coaching the pitchers in say AA.
I personally don’t hold the incident that Backman had back in 2007 that was filmed as part of a series against him. I am more concerned of where he is now and how people view him as of late with his players.
Seems like everything Mets you will never get everyone to agree on any 1 person to be manager so all we can hope for is a manager that is considered a good strategist that works well with younger players.
Something that 2011 seems will have a lot of.
If Wally can do that God Bless Him and good luck if not well then just move on.
trs86
8/3/2010-11:09pm at 11:09 pm (UTC -4)
I am again not going to march in the streets if they do hire Backman. But considering this organization has been embarrassed both on the field and off the field the last few years I don’t see adding someone as volatile as Backman as a good idea. This is not an isolated incident. It is well documented that he has anger management issues. He could have cured them, not likely, but not the point. It’s not worth the risk in my opinion. Plus in the day of the media it could be an utter disaster.
trs86
8/3/2010-10:38pm at 10:38 pm (UTC -4)
Certainly would attract attention.
fongy2
8/3/2010-10:48pm at 10:48 pm (UTC -4)
Negative attention BUT to be fair Pinella,Martin&
Weaver threw some tantrums
at least as bad if not worse.
Bottom line is that Wally just
hasn’t done enough AS A MANAGER in the minors to warrant serious consideration.
You then combine that fact with his unstable behavior both on and off the field and it would seem he has little chance to Manage
in the majors unless its for The Royals or Pirates
trs86
8/3/2010-10:51pm at 10:51 pm (UTC -4)
Worse than that Fongy?
Seriously?
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-10:54pm at 10:54 pm (UTC -4)
Certainly in the ballpark.
Maybe not quite as bad, but again, it was the low minors.
trs86
8/3/2010-10:58pm at 10:58 pm (UTC -4)
why does it matter what league it was in? It could have been rec league and still been a video of someone who can’t handle his emotions. Just like his stories of abuse and alcohol troubles. I loved the man as a player but he has no right to be the Mets next manager.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:20pm at 11:20 pm (UTC -4)
I think in today’s revolting sports world of the NFL which is largely a halfway house for criminals and a stage for egopsychos like Ochomoron and TO, and of players like Roethlisberger who blatantly get away with rape, and with the revolting greed and lies of LeBron, and with the complete corporate profit machine joke which NCAA football and basketball have become, etc etc etc etc etc, Wally’s tirade really isn’t all that bad.
The 86 Mets–my all-time favorite sports team by far–were a bunch of drug-using, alcoholic, adulterous, violent guys.
Sports isn’t teaching or coaching kids like you do my friend. It is a world of rich, pathologically self-centered, overindulged children.
Perhaps Backman’s psychosis can keep them in line and make them play better.
I long ago stopped looking for role models on pro athletic fields. I follow Dartmouth football and U of Vermont basketball for that.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:32pm at 11:32 pm (UTC -4)
Oh, and I forgot the “Buddhist” Nike pitchman golfer, whatever his name is.
Eldrick something.
trs86
8/4/2010-12:01am at 12:01 am (UTC -4)
I would be willing to try Wally as a bench coach, hitting coach, 3rd base coach…
But having him in charge considering his past and having to respond to the media each night is not something I would want for a guy with his resume.
trs86
8/4/2010-12:04am at 12:04 am (UTC -4)
I agree with most of these except Lebron. Don’t like him but don’t think he did anything wrong. Except for listening to ESPN and doing that stupid bachelor show.
GravediggerHebner
8/3/2010-10:58pm at 10:58 pm (UTC -4)
Backman’s was really bad but he’s hardly alone.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=manager+tirade&aq=f
trs86
8/3/2010-11:04pm at 11:04 pm (UTC -4)
I have not seen all of them but find it hard-pressed to think they were worse unless they actually punched the ump. That being said none of those guys are being mentioned to coach the Mets after a time of nothing but controversy.
fongy2
8/3/2010-11:08pm at 11:08 pm (UTC -4)
Hopefully this all means nothing since a sage 20,30 yr baseball man will come in from outside the org
and bring in some long time solid, successful minor league Mgr who
most people aren’t familiar with
but whos a future star big-league Mgr
like Joe maddon.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:12pm at 11:12 pm (UTC -4)
Tim Teufel!!
He had a frigin .943 OPS in 1987, he was in the bar fight in Houston, and it’s about time he got some damn respect!!
trs86
8/4/2010-12:01am at 12:01 am (UTC -4)
His one and only fight in his life. Poor guy. He just wanted to celebrate his first kid.
tkfj2
8/3/2010-11:20pm at 11:20 pm (UTC -4)
If you think Jerryball is bad, Wallyball may be worse.
I don’t know if he is trying to help the youngsters master their bunting skills, but from game reports indications are that Wally loves bunting in any and all situations.
I’m not sure it is a good idea to hire a manager with little experience outside of single A and independent ball. I don’t think it speaks well of the organizations intelligence or decision making. It says even less of them to hire someone with a propensity for the dramatic after the embarrasment this team has faced in the recent past.
If we are going to give someone the job it should be one of the longer tenured minor league managers, or an experienced MLB man not named Bob Melvin.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:22pm at 11:22 pm (UTC -4)
I have read some pretty insane bunting stories–like using the number 2 or 3 hitter, who is hitting like .380, to bunt? More than once?
Maybe he is trying to teach the kid to bunt and he wouldn’t do that in the majors? I hope…
trs86
8/3/2010-11:25pm at 11:25 pm (UTC -4)
Think about it Kingman, Wally was the king of small ball.
Kingman 26
8/3/2010-11:31pm at 11:31 pm (UTC -4)
I try not to.
I HATE HATE HATE sacrifice bunting.
I loved it when Keith questioned Castillo bunting tonight.
However, I love bunting for a hit, which I still feel Reyes has dramatically underutilized his whole career.
trs86
8/3/2010-11:26pm at 11:26 pm (UTC -4)
WOW, I agree with everything you just said TK. And yes you can copy that for the dugout.
metsfan4decades
8/4/2010-7:57am at 7:57 am (UTC -4)
Along with these very good points, my opinion of Wally as manager has nothing to do with Wally and everything to do with the Wilpons.
I get the impression that Wally would be a selection not so much for his managerial skills (and it can’t be that b/c it’s too small a sample size, IMO) but b/c he’d be willing to work cheap. And THAT’s the problem.
Instead of looking for the best man for the job, $$ be damned, they’ll be looking for someone who they don’t have to pay all that much, coupled with who the fans might like b/c of his ’86 team connection? Bah…..
If they don’t care how flamboyant he is and might be considering that a plus, I’d rather have Ozzie then. At least his resume includes years of a big league manager…
dirtysanchez
8/4/2010-8:23am at 8:23 am (UTC -4)
That picture was hillarious…the red eyes…awesome!!
And no, I dont think wally will be manager of the big club anytime soon(at least i hope not). There is something to a firey personality though(see loduca…last time we actually played very well). Theres a locker room full of even keel, even tempered people and maybe that works for them.