Wally Whack-man

[seawolf17]

Edgy MD wrote: stumbling across his daughter's college athlete bio

How on earth does someone just stumble across that? You're hilarious.

Centerfield wrote: As for Wally himself, he never seemed that bright to me. And all things considered, I'd like to have a bright guy at the helm. But that being said, from their announcing gigs, Lou Pinella and Dusty Baker seemed pretty dumb to me, and it's hard to argue against their record as managers. So what the fuck do I know.

Also, pretty much all of this.

[Frayed Knot]

John Harper in the Snooze sums up, perhaps unintentionally, some of the Backman allure by passing off speculation as if fact that needs no explanation: "Suffice it to say that Backman would have made the Mets a better ballclub this season, either as third-base coach if management wanted to move Tim Teufel into the role as bench coach, or as the bench coach himself."

And we know this how, John?
Harper goes on to admit that his views are colored by a fondness for Backman from his days of covering him as a ballplayer -- and, as usual, reporters are fond of those with loose lips which fill up their notebooks -- which is pretty much the same logic fans use to assume that he'd be a better manager than [insert random guy without 1986 NYM ties].

[Edgy MD]

seawolf17 wrote: Edgy MD wrote: stumbling across his daughter's college athlete bio How on earth does someone just stumble across that? You're hilarious.

Say Wally gets promoted to the big league coaching staff (if only just as a September addition, as he has once or twice in the past), well, that Wifey Watch thread isn't going to update itself.

[G-Fafif]

Wally joining Francesa at 2:05 PM today to tell his side of da stawry.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

[Prepares finger sandwiches, dram of brandy]
[Dons Oriental smoking jacket, silk slippers]
[settles in sitting room with radio, prepared for the classiest interview he's ever heard]

[Guest cooby]

Maybe his old buddy Lenny will show up to give his views

[Guest d'Kong76]

That should be some fun radio, unfortunately I can't listen.

[G-Fafif]

"Lack of respect...the respect wasn't there."

Wally's not bitter.

[G-Fafif]

Says he passed the word up on Loney (Vegas played against him as his out-window was developing), R. Rivera (liked him as a "catch and throw catcher" before they acquired him), Reyes (two-hour talk when he was with Rox AAA team serving his suspension).

[G-Fafif]

He asked to be the bench coach. They declined and didn't give him a reason before hiring Dicky Scott.

[G-Fafif]

Wally says he can't look at matzoh anymore because of how many times Mets passed him over.

I added the matzoh part.

[A Boy Named Seo]

"This James Loney guy, you gotta check him out."

Thanks for the scoop, G. Post had the same stuff about not hitting Nimmo leadoff and sitting Conforto. Did they ask him about that crap?

[Edgy MD]

G-Fafif wrote: He asked to be the bench coach. They declined and didn't give him a reason before hiring Dicky Scott.

There's some mixed reporting on this. In the past, reporters have written that Backman didn't want to be on the staff unless he had the big chair.

Other reports had Terry wanting to elevate Backman to the benchy job after Geren left, but being over-ruled by Sandstorm.

[G-Fafif]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: "This James Loney guy, you gotta check him out." Thanks for the scoop, G. Post had the same stuff about not hitting Nimmo leadoff and sitting Conforto. Did they ask him about that crap?

Says he hit Nimmo first or second almost all the time, couldn't understand why Conforto didn't get same benefit of doubt at MLB level as Granderson. "He's the future...it's a sophomore slump."

[G-Fafif]

Loves Terry. Less enthusiastic about "the organization".

[Lefty Specialist]

couldn't understand why Conforto didn't get same benefit of doubt at MLB level as Granderson.

I can think of 15 million reasons.

[G-Fafif]

Defended the Las Vegas affiliation, saying being out there gave him a better look at teams and games out west, noted two red eye direct flights to NY get players to Mets just as soon as they would from a smaller city closer. Since he has nothing to gain from boosting Vegas unless he's angling to be a greeter at Caesars, I thought that was interesting.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Does Darryl Strawberry still call him "Little Redneck"?

[G-Fafif]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Does Darryl Strawberry still call him "Little Redneck"?

Does anybody Wally knows get sick 25 times a year?

[Edgy MD]

I'll bust that little redneck in the face.

Dave Anderson with the ins and outs of the Mets clubhouse.

[Ceetar]

The nitpicking over fired/quit is dumb. He didn't have a contract and the season was over. He's no more a Mets employee than I am. Though prior to yesterday he probably had a better shot at a being a future Mets employee.

If I had to wager on it, I'd say Backman was like "Am I the Mets manager next year? No? Then fuck it all, don't ask me back." It kinda makes sense. Say nice things about the guy who's job you wanted on the way out, but badmouth everyone else. I'd be surprised, no matter what happens, if Terry isn't back now.

Also, good. I had no desire to see Backman manage, if they were going to oust Terry and just hand the job off internally, I'd be fine with Teufel. Maybe even prefer him.

I don't see what Backman thinks he has to gain here. He could've made his desire to manage known to other teams easily this offseason while still praising the Mets and praising their success as a reason why he's blocked.

basically he's all "Collins is a great manager but fuck the Mets for not giving me his job."

[Benjamin Grimm]

I wonder if time has passed Wally by. I could be wrong, but I'd guess that not many managers in the last twenty years have gotten their first big league job after their 56th birthday.

I think Terry will be back. It was looking pretty iffy during the summer, but whether the Mets make the playoffs or not, I think the fact that they're in the hunt with 18 games remaining will get him invited back.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Thanks for the play-by-play, G-F... matzoh, passed over.... why we oughta...

Ceetar wrote: basically he's all "Collins is a great manager but fuck the Mets for not giving me his job."

Boiled down, yup©

[Zvon]

Mike Puma ‏@NYPost_Mets 4m4 minutes ago
Sandy Alderson, on Wally Backman's assertion he was "disrespected" by not getting promoted to staff: "That's disrespectful? Yeah, right. OK"

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Edgy MD wrote: There are still people out there willing to begin sentences with, "If Pete Rose was managing this team ... ."

I bet half of them are Trump supporters, too.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Sandy Alderson exporting American jobs to Mexico! Bad!

http://www.northjersey.com/story/sports/columnists/bob-klapisch/2017/01/10/klapisch-backman-says-mets-have-blackballed-him/96415678/

[nymr83]

I believe Alderson over Backman any day of the week. As someone young enough to have NOT witnessed his playing days and with no fond memories of him i see nothing more than a loudmouthed minor league manager who should have been shown the exit door years ago.

[Edgy MD]

Backman whines that his ex-boss has made him un-hireable, succeeds in making himself appear un-hireable.

[ashie62]

I guess Wallt just wore out his welcome and cannot come to blame himself.

[Edgy MD]

[tweet:3n7fyu48]https://twitter.com/Molinas96/status/865653373021835265[/tweet:3n7fyu48]

Roughly translates to: "The Acereros (The Steelers) have fired manager Wally Backman after being swept by Los Tigres (The Tigers) at home."

He made it all of 42 games with them.