Wally Backman was a finalist for the Mets’ job last season, didn’t get it and went on to manage Double-A Binghamton. He’s currently expected to be in line for the job at Triple-A Buffalo, but Mike Puma of the New York Post reports that he may leave the Mets organization altogether and take a job as Davey Johnson’s third base coach in Washington.
Such a move would get Backman back to the bigs, of course. And, given that (a) Johnson is not going to manage forever; and (b) third base coach is a pretty standard springboard kind of job, it could put Backman in line to be Johnson’s heir with the Nats.
I was critical of the Mets for considering Backman for the top job last year. But after a couple more years under his belt, some time on a major league coaching staff and with some closer tutelage by a guy like Johnson, it could make way more sense. Besides: if his fiery, hard-nosed reputation is everything it’s purported to be, seeing him beat Bryce Harper into a major leaguer in a year or two could be great fun to watch. Though maybe not much fun for Harper.
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- woodenulykteneau - Oct 11, 2011 at 8:41 AM
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Explain to us again how a manager who’s more immature than Harper will make him grow up?
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- lukeslice - Oct 11, 2011 at 8:49 AM
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oooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh man did you hear what Backman said about the city of brotherly love?!??! GO GET ‘EM BICEPS!
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- hasbeen5 - Oct 11, 2011 at 8:49 AM
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“C’mon Bryce, let’s go have a beer”
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- natstowngreg - Oct 11, 2011 at 8:55 AM
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Two possibilities:
1. This guy has information that Davey wants to replace Bo Porter with Backman (or Porter gets a managing job somewhere else and has to be replaced).
2. This guy doesn’t have a clue what the Nats are doing, and just assumes that Davey wants Backman on his coaching staff.
Either could be true, but I wonder if this guy bothered to talk to Mike Rizzo, who does have some say in the matter.
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- arrooo - Oct 11, 2011 at 9:50 AM
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Once again in wallis career, Tim tuefel beats him out. Sad
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- Old Gator - Oct 11, 2011 at 11:58 AM
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Teufel used to substitute for Backman at second base for the Mutts. In those cases, Backman’s fielding made Teufel look pretty sad.
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- Old Gator - Oct 11, 2011 at 10:35 AM
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Ugh. I wasn’t paying attention and opened up a full page of the New York Pestilence to read the Backman article. Well, that’ll keep me from overeating at breakfast and looking like Prince Fielder. Anyway, Backman will make someone a terrific manager. Davey, who managed him for years, knows and appreciates what he’s got there, a voracious competitor and baseball-savvy guy, and if the Gnats luck out and get him they’ll be the threat to contend in the NL East that they seem to be all that much faster.
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- Kyle - Oct 11, 2011 at 1:05 PM
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I fully support any decision that gets a man with Wally’s tantrum skills one step closer to being a big league manager.
