PORT ST. LUCIE — Wally Backman spoke with two teams during the offseason about major league coaching positions, but never received an offer that would have forced him to make a choice.
But the former Mets infielder said neither coaching position — including one with a team that reached the 2013 postseason — was appealing enough that he would have vacated his managerial post at Triple-A Las Vegas.
Last year, Backman led the Mets’ top farm team to an 81-63 record and a berth in the Pacific Coast League playoffs.
“[Coaching] is not my thing,” Backman said. “I would do it for the right person. I’m just not going to jump ship to go someplace else.”
The 54-year-old Backman, a scrappy fan favorite who played for the Mets’ last championship team in 1986, remains determined to become a major league manager. He nearly was there in 2004, but the Diamondbacks fired him just four days after his hiring when it was revealed that during his job interview he failed to disclose past arrests, for DUI and a domestic dispute, and financial problems.
Backman returned to the Mets organization in 2009 and steadily has ascended the managerial ladder in the minors. He is set to begin his third season at Triple-A, but may be stuck there. Not only did the Mets give manager Terry Collins a new two-year contract after last season, but organizational sources say Backman is not a favorite of general manager Sandy Alderson’s because of a clash in styles.
Alderson views the manager as someone who should serve as an extension of his statistical-driven front office. The fiery Backman is a throwback who believes the manager should have most of the say in on-field matters.
But Alderson also said Backman deserves credit for Las Vegas’ success last season.
“He won their first championship in some period of time, and we had a lot of young players there, most of whom continued their development and had success,” Alderson said. “That would include pitchers as well as hitters in a very difficult pitchers’ environment. I just think based on results — and this is a results oriented business — he did a fine job.”
Alderson also downplayed the idea there is friction between Backman and the front office, saying differences in opinion shouldn’t be viewed as a negative.
Backman’s roster at Las Vegas to begin this season likely will include stud pitching prospect Noah Syndergaard and potential major league pitchers in Rafael Montero, and Jacob deGrom, among others.
It’s a change, Backman says, from his earlier years in the organization when the talent level was less pronounced.
“There’s guys that are probably going to start the season at Triple-A that are major league ready, without even being in a game,” Backman said. “So that’s kind of exciting to know that if something does happen at the major league level, if called upon I feel there’s four, five or six guys that are already ready.”
Last season, Backman had a roster in flux, as Mets injuries and poor performances by players forced the organization to look toward Las Vegas for answers. Juan Lagares and Josh Satin were among the key position players who went from Las Vegas to the Mets, joining pitching prospect Zack Wheeler.
Meanwhile, Backman received struggling Ike Davis, Lucas Duda and Ruben Tejada over various stretches.
Satin said it was commonplace to see Backman throwing “hundreds” of batting practice pitches in the brutal desert heat to help players who needed extra work. That kind of dedication formed a bond between the players and manager that might help explain Backman’s success.
“He just gets it,” Satin said. “He gets what players want. He’s one of those guys where he’s able to be your friend and also you want to play your butt off for him, which is not easy to do. I want to succeed so he’s happy. I want to win for him.”