We have seen many managers and head coaches come and go here in Gotham.
Just over the last ten years there have been over twenty coaches and
managers leading local teams. Baseball fans have seen the Mets and
Yankees as the beacons of stability by only contributing four to that
total.
One former member of a New York championship team is still looking for
his chance to lead a big league squad. He has managed in the minor
leagues, the majors for a day or two, and even independent baseball.
The hunger burns inside him so much that he literally managed for
“peanuts” in the summer of 2007. This spring, filmaker John Fitzgerald
("The Emerald Diamond") will bring to life this man's quest in the mini
TV series “Playing for Peanuts”. . Of course, I am talking about none other then former Mets 2b Wally Backman.
The
big question is how can Backman not have a major league job? In a
league that saw managers with dubious track records like Art Howe, Jeff
Torborg, Don Baylor, Buddy Bell, and Charlie Manuel get re-hired why
can’t some ownership group embrace Wally Backman?
Those
who listen to the show know I have a tremendous respect for major
league baseball. They have grown a business in the wake of labor
strife, steroids, and the emergence of professional football. The one
area that I can say they need some work on is long term vision. I find
that stereotypes and perceptions supersede common sense when it comes
to hiring a skipper. Often it appears that certain names are earmarked
as “managers in waiting” and create a continuous recycle plant for
future openings. Gotham Baseball Magazine’s Mark Healey pointed this out by mentioning how the Mets interviewed Terry Collins (and not Triple-A manager Ken Oberkfell) before hiring Willie Randolph.
The
naysayers will point out that Backman had his chance in 2004 with
Arizona. It is true that he was fired after reports surfaced about
legal, financial, and domestic issues. My question is why would this
impact his one field performance? Isn’t performance the bottom line?
How many of us have made similar mistakes and received a mulligan in
the game of life?
In the case of professional athletes, rarely
do these very same issues prevent them from obtaining a roster spot.
The late Steve Howe had far more serious personal transgressions and he
was given seven chances to prove himself. Shouldn’t managerial
candidates be given that same chance? Howe could only put the gift of
left-handedness on his resume, but Backman can provide much more.
In
an era where stats sadly seem to tell the story for many I have a few
numbers for you to ponder. Everywhere Wally Backman has gone he is a
winner. We all know about how he helped the 1986 Mets win a
championship during his playing days. As a manager he has won titles in
both independent and professional baseball. He has won in the Western
League, Southern League, California League, and most recently the South
Coast League. The Sporting News named him minor league manager of the
year in 2004.
Don’t believe the stats? Filmmaker John Fitzgerald
talked to a couple of his former players, Arizona’s Carlos Quentin and
Conor Jackson, who vouched for Wally. Members of the South Georgia
Peanuts were lining up to say nice things in front of the camera. Very
rarely do you find a manager that can maximize on field performance and
develop a solid working relationship with his group. Often it’s either
the former or the latter. Its clear to me that this is the managerial
equivalent to a #1 draft pick.
Wally Backman will manage in
2008 for the Joliet Jackhammers of the Northern League. I predict that
the Jackhammers will improve upon their sub .500 record and contend for
the league title. You probably will hear stories about Wally tirelessly
going over scouting reports and finding pro opportunities for his
players. He might even manicure the field when the ground crew is
short, just as he did in South Georgia. At this point I bet he might
sell concession just to prove to a major league team he is worth giving
a chance. Will he have some blowouts with umpires? No doubt. But that
is part of the package of what makes him successful. The same people
criticizing those traits probably don’t say a word about Lou Piniella,
Ozzie Guillen, or Charlie Manuel blowing up.
I
believe this country is about second chances and Wally Backman deserves
one. It’s clear that outsiders don’t know the whole story. All these
players can’t be wrong. So if you’re an owner of a struggling major
league baseball team you might want to look for a sparkplug in Joliet,
Illinois. It's there that you will find the manager that could turn
your ball club around.
Listen
to Mike Silva on Gotham Baseball Live each week. You can read his
column every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday here at Gotham Baseball Live
and his blog at www.gothamsportsradio.com
We have seen many managers and head coaches come and go here in Gotham.
Just over the last ten years there have been over twenty coaches and
managers leading local teams. Baseball fans have seen the Mets and
Yankees as the beacons of stability by only contributing four to that
total.
One former member of a New York championship team is still looking for
his chance to lead a big league squad. He has managed in the minor
leagues, the majors for a day or two, and even independent baseball.
The hunger burns inside him so much that he literally managed for
“peanuts” in the summer of 2007. This spring, filmaker John Fitzgerald
("The Emerald Diamond") will bring to life this man's quest in the mini
TV series