Wally Backman

[MFS62]

Yes, the clip starts with an ad.
Yes, the interview is 1 1/2 hours long.
And, yes, Wally had off the field problems.
But as you listen to it, you believe that Wally could be the kind of manager many fans have wanted to replace Willie.

Pop the top on a cool one, relax, and listen.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/nybaseballtalk/2008/02/25/wally-backman

Later

[seawolf17]

I caught a little bit of one episode of the Peanuts documentary, and I was actually pretty impressed with Backman's style. I'd give him Willie's seat and let him run with it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

He can run while sitting? That is impressive!

[seawolf17]

No, I mean I'd make Willie stand up, then give Wally his seat and let him run with it. Maybe Willie would chase him; it'd be hilarious.

[metirish]

How pissed off would Carter be if Backman got the job , it would be hilarious .

[Guest AG/DC]

Backman may be a whiskey man to Carter's lemonade, but he has been similarly shameless and whiny and entitled as he campaigns for work.

[HahnSolo]

As I advocated in another thread, if by making a change you want to change the message and the messenger, Wally is about as opposite to Willie as you can get. At least in temperament. I understand Wally is also a big fan of the bunt.

He can manage, he knows he probably will only get one shot at the big leagues, and I for one, eagerly await to see the immortal Chris Majkowski set a season's record for bleeping out the expletives from the managers report.

[Benjamin Grimm]

If the Mets are going to hire an 86er to manage the team, I'd prefer Wally to Carter, but Keith over Wally. (By a wide margin.)

And then there's Tim Teufel, managing the St. Lucie Mets to a robust 11-39 record so far. He looks to be putting himself further down the depth chart than Howard Johnson.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I'm all about Ron Gardenhire.

Not really. But kinda.

[batmagadanleadoff]

It would take 40 fuckin' car crashes for Backman to manage these Mets.

[Guest AG/DC]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: I'm all about Ron Gardenhire.

Wally would set himself on fire.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

I guess the shameless self-promoting by Carter doesn't bother me. Clearly, he really, really, really wants it. I'm sure he doesn't need the money, and he's paying his dues working in the lower rungs.

He's a firey, rah-rah guy, which this team lacks. He takes focus off the players a bit.

Give him a one-year -- or til the end of the year -- deal and say "Time to put up or shut up." If we puts up and wins, all is good. If he loses, well, that's what we have now only in a much more drab fashion.

He might be an idiot, but I seem to think there are a lot of managers whom I don't want to have lunch with. I just want them to win.

What's the downside?

[Gwreck]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: and he's paying his dues working in the lower rungs.

I thought this theory was debunked when the Mets offered him the job managing in Binghamton (which Carter refused).

[Benjamin Grimm]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: What's the downside?

That's the same thing Barbara Walters said when she hired Rosie O'Donnell for The View.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: ="metsguyinmichigan"] What's the downside? That's the same thing Barbara Walters said when she hired Rosie O'Donnell for The View.

Not that I'm a "viewer," but I'm guessing ratings were never higher and Baba Wawa pocketed a fair amount of coin from the increased attention Rosie brought.

Not that we need to operate that way...

[Elster88]

AG/DC wrote: Backman may be a whiskey man to Carter's lemonade

I love it.

[Theoldmole]

I'd have lunch with Carter. Would he pick up the tab?

[MFS62]

TheOldMole wrote: I'd have lunch with Carter. Would he pick up the tab?

Only if a camera was on him.
Later

[Zvon]

Did anyone see the piece in todays NY Post?

Wally's plea to all MLB organizations:
TAKE ME BACK, MAN.

I really really really think its baseball's loss that he is not working somewhere in MLB, on some level.
So he made some mistakes.

He makes it clear he is not campaigning for Willies job, says he'll work anywhere at any level.
I have to wonder if Carter didn't say what he said last week if Wally gets this ink.

If so, at least something good comes from Carter's idiocy.

MLB, BRING BACKMAN BACK!

[Guest AG/DC]

Zvon wrote: He makes it clear he is not campaigning for Willies job, says he'll work anywhere at any level.

He is working somewhere, at some level.

Work hard in Lansing, win a little, act like a human being, and maybe get a better job. That's how it works for everybody.

[Elster88]

By saying he's not campaigning for Willie's job, he is in fact campaigning for Willie's job.