Wally Backman: Take it Like a Man and Move on

By Rich Mancuso/Sports Editor

This will probably irritate the many Mets fans and supporters of Wally Backman, but come on and take it like a man and stop taking a message to the media that New York Mets gM Sandy Alderson and the organization, as he says, “Didn’t respect me.”

Okay, the Mets gave Backman an opportunity to manage on the Triple-A Level. He helped develop the youngsters and many were instrumental in the 2015 championship year, and the rookie T.J. Rivera of the Bronx who by the way hit the go ahead and winning home run Tuesday night, will be the first to swear, Backman is a players manager.

But to the Mets hierarchy in command, Backman was not their guy. And like any good soldier he has to stop the whining and move on. That’s what Backman wanted, to move on, and now the opportunity is there, though the Arizona Diamondbacks will be the first to tell you, Backman was not their man to be in the dugout.

And with that said, Wally Backman had minimal opportunity to move up the ladder.  Obviously, the Mets are content with Terry Collins and Backman knew the writing was on the wall that an eventual successor to Collins would not be him.

And with the name Bud Black circulating as a possible successor to Collins, or Chip Hale who may be seeing his last 18-games as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Backman has obvious heard he had no future with the Mets.

But, disrespect?  Come on, let’s not go that far and create another Alex Rodriguez episode that was a daily soap opera across town with the Yankees and their upper management.

This is simply Backman, a 56-year old former Met who ran his course in the Mets system as a manager. Five years with Triple-A Las Vegas does deserve some recognition and perhaps Backman jumped the gun, but there were no indications that the former and popular player of the 1986 championship team was getting an elevation to the big club as a coach in some capacity.

It is simply an organizational decision, and Sandy Alderson, despite those who say otherwise, had no bitter hatred towards a hero of that iconic team that is discussed as one of the all-time best in baseball history.

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