Wally Backman - Managing Career

Managing Career

After retiring as a player, Backman was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Backman led the 2002 Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox double A Southern League affiliate) to a 79–61 record. In 2004, he led the Lancaster Jethawks, the Arizona Diamondbacks High A team, to an 86–54 record and was named Sporting News "Minor League Manager of the Year".

On November 1, 2004, Backman was promoted to manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks' major league squad. However, in its story about Backman's hire, The New York Times reported that Backman had serious legal and financial problems. He had also been arrested in 1999 for DUI in Kennewick, Washington as documented on HBO Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. A year later, he was arrested in connection with an altercation in his home in Prineville, Oregon. In addition, Backman declared bankruptcy to avoid paying over twenty creditors, including the IRS. The Diamondbacks initially stood by him, but fired him on November 5 before ever managing a game. Managing partner Ken Kendrick said that Backman had lied about his past, and only learned about the extent of Backman's problems when the Times report prompted the team to conduct its own investigation.

Backman began his managerial comeback with the South Georgia Peanuts of the independent South Coast League. His return to managing was documented by the TV series Playing for Peanuts. The Peanuts won their league with a 59–28 record. On June 26, 2007, during a game in Anderson, South Carolina, Backman was involved in a profane-laced tirade. After outfielder Doc Brooks was ejected for arguing balls and strikes, Backman confronted the home plate umpire criticizing his strike zone before being ejected as well. Backman then covered home plate with dirt and threw profanities at the umpires before returning to the dug-out where he threw bats onto the field as well as a bucket full of baseballs.

In December 2007, Backman became manager of the Joliet JackHammers. With the team in sixth place in the Northern League with a 24–42 record, he was fired on July 30, 2009. In October 2009, Backman's name circulated as a likely candidate for the Mets' double A managerial job with the Binghamton Mets; however, the Mets decided instead to promote Teufel from the St. Lucie Mets, and Backman was given the St. Lucie job. Two weeks later, the Mets changed their minds, and Backman was handed the reins to the Brooklyn Cyclones instead. Backman went on to lead the Cyclones to a league-best 51-24 record, winning the McNamara Division of the New York-Penn League by 12 games. However, the Cyclones were ultimately swept by the Tri-City ValleyCats in the league championship series.

Backman was a candidate to replace Jerry Manuel as the New York Mets' major league manager in 2011, having interviewed for the position with new General Manager Sandy Alderson. After a second round of interviews in which Backman was a finalist, however, the position went to Terry Collins. Backman was subsequently named manager of the Mets' double A affiliate, the Binghamton Mets.

In Backman's first season in Binghamton, the club had a 65-76 record. Backman remains highly regarded in the Mets organization, and was promoted to manager of their AAA affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons for the 2012 season. He will continue in that role with the Mets' new AAA affiliate, the Las Vegas 51s in 2013.