![]() ![]() However, following the season, the Mets sent him and Mike Santiago to the Minnesota Twins for Jeff Bumgarner, Steve Gasser and Toby Nivens, none of whom emerged as a major leaguer.īackman under-performed with the Twins, batting only. Backman played respectably in the division series (.273 avg., 2 runs, 2 RBIs). However, the heavily favored Mets lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1988 National League Championship Series. 303 for the division winners, and the Mets won 100 games that season, taking the NL East by fifteen games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. 333 in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox and led off for the Mets in the famous tenth inning of Game 6 with a fly out to Jim Rice.īackman and Teufel were still platooning at second base in 1988 when the Mets won their division for the second time during Backman's tenure with the team. 300 (.320) for the first time in his career for the team that won 108 games and took the National League East by 21.5 games. He and Backman formed a platoon at second base, and along with Wilson and Lenny Dykstra, provided a "spark" at the top of the Mets' line up, and set the table for the heavy hitters who batted behind them.įor his own part, Backman scored 67 runs, stole 13 bases and batted over. Prior to the start of the 1986 season, general manager Frank Cashen brought in Tim Teufel, a right-handed hitting infielder from the Minnesota Twins for Billy Beane, Joe Klink and Bill Latham. 280, and finished second on the club to Mookie Wilson (46) with 32 stolen bases. Making his major league debut starting at second base against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 2, Backman got a single in his first at-bat, driving in Claudell Washington for his first major league run batted in.Īfter battling for three seasons to earn a starting job, Backman emerged as the Mets' starting second baseman in 1984. 293 for the triple A Tidewater Tides in 1980, Backman received a September call up to the Mets. 325 with six home runs in his first professional season. He was assigned to the New York–Penn League's Little Falls Mets upon signing, and batted. Playing career New York Mets First round pick īackman was the Mets' first round pick in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft (sixteenth overall). He is currently the manager of the Long Island Ducks of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He served as the bench coach for the Pericos de Puebla of the Mexican Baseball League in 2017. He was also the former manager for the Las Vegas 51s, the Mets' AAA minor league team, from 2013 to 2016. He is best known for his time with the New York Mets from 1980– 1988 and was a member of their 1986 World Series-winning team. Backman was originally drafted in the first round (16th overall) by the Mets in the 1977 MLB Draft.Walter Wayne Backman (born September 22, 1959) is an American former Major League Baseball second baseman. 275 lifetime batting average with 240 RBIs, 482 runs scored, 893 hits, 138 doubles and 117 stolen bases in 1,102 MLB games. He also spent time in “The Show” with the Minnesota Twins (1989), Pittsburgh Pirates (1990), Philadelphia Phillies (1991-92) and Seattle Mariners (1993). ![]() Nine of those seasons (1980-88) were spent played with the New York Mets, where he helped lead the team to a World Series Championship in 1986. Prior to his coaching career, Backman enjoyed a 14-year Major League playing career. Additionally, he was named the 2014 Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year after guiding the Las Vegas 51’s (AAA, Mets) to a league-best 81-63 record. In that time, the Oregon native has led his teams to six Division Championships and three League Championships. He brings 20 seasons of managerial experience across professional baseball to Long Island, having amassed a 1,127-1,077 overall record (.511 winning percentage). Wally Backman is in his first season as manager of the Long Island Ducks in 2019. ![]()
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