Tagged With "Wally Backman"

Hired - then fired - in 4 days.This could only happen to a NY Met.LOL

We all know the peaks and valleys in competitive sports. We have even heard pro's and coaches say they try and stay on a median plane no matter how it's going. I believe confidence fuels this state of mind. Confidence is wild and hard to grasp. All players should have it, but how many really do? Confidence does not relate to instant gratification. Confidence is derived from hard work and utilized in specific moments of time. Confidence has purpose and comes through preparation for the task...

I'm glad to see him back in the game. My father was his high school principal. When he was in high school, Backman knew he was a stud, going on to play pro baseball. He gave my father quite a challenge with his behavior in school. He once told my dad, in one of their many disciplinary meetings: "Screw you, I'm going to play in the majors!" He was certainly right about that, but his attitude did end up getting him in all sorts of trouble, obviously. All that said, I do think the guy has...

Lefty - It sure is a ton of dough and a big bet for Padres. They won't move the needle meaningfully until and if the farm system bears fruit. If you look at the Padres pipe in some ways the Mets comparison makes more sense. When Foster signed with them in 1982 guys like Strawberry, Gooden, Mitchell, Dykstra and Backman were still in the minors and Wilson, Brooks, Mazzilli and other trade pieces were sitting there early in their MLB careers. I do not think Machado is the same kind of...

Ah, those thrilling days of yesteryear. The Nellie Fox "Slap Hit" baseball bat, what a memory. That whole mindset of getting on as table setters seems to be a thing of the past. I have to blame the scouts mostly. Most slap hitters would never get any notice over a power hitter, no matter what the average. I look back at '86 when the Mets had Backman and Dykstra on base most often to add to the RBI totals of the 3-4-5 hitters. They would take pitches, walks, bunt, take one for the team, slap...

maybe Ed can pick up Wally Backman on the way. Wally usually needs a ride. Greet the Mets!

Originally Posted by nxt lvl: More and more young baseball players are resembling "athletes" in other sports. Trout could play a few other sports and be successful. Baseball at many levels is moving past the stage of pear shaped bodies and smoking in the dugout between innings, and closer to fine tuned athletes. Players are bigger,stronger and faster and in better condition now than just a few years ago. Yep. The kids coming to the majors now are better physical specimens than say 10 years...

Originally Posted by luv baseball: Originally Posted by nxt lvl: More and more young baseball players are resembling "athletes" in other sports. Trout could play a few other sports and be successful. Baseball at many levels is moving past the stage of pear shaped bodies and smoking in the dugout between innings, and closer to fine tuned athletes. Players are bigger,stronger and faster and in better condition now than just a few years ago. Yep. The kids coming to the majors now are better...

Originally Posted by SultanofSwat: We need more grenade throwing one of my favorite clips ever!! I believe this was right before he checked in drug/alcohol rehab...classic! Youtube search Wally Backman for some other classic stuff.

If you watch the Wally Backman clips at work or near kids / important people then better make sure you have headphones in. He goes 0 - 100 MPH quickly on that ump...but it's hilarious.

Frank Viola has a 1 hour weekly radio show in Orlando. When Backman came up for being named Minor League Mgr. of the Year, possible replacement for Art Howe, Bowa, etc. all Frank could say was "OMG, this guy is not a very good guy!!" On a brighter Met note, they did pay Hidalgo to go away. Jeff Moorad is making the job look hard. Did they sign Steven Drew Yet?

Just read why Backman was let go. seems he had 2 arrests one for a fight and one for DUI. also had financial problems. Said the Diamandbacks did no criminal or financial background checks before hiring. Hope they do not do checks on some of the players or do they. thinking out loud

"Botched Squeeze"--video of Wally Backman in the 3B coaching box for the South Georgia Peanuts. 4:05 secs.: Having flashed the suicide, Backman watches his R3 get tagged out after the suicide is botched. 5:40 secs.: Another runner gets to third and Backman says, "How the f*** can you pull the bat back on a squeeze? And it was a strike." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpFV7kanE_A

I’ll see you’re Wally Backman and raise you a Phil Wellman. Google it.