Wally Backman

[Rex Hudler]

Rex,

 

Living in or near Birmingham, you've obviously spent your fair share of time at Barons games.

 

Was Backman a "fiery guy" and a master motivator, or was he just a person who's a natural-born "prick"? In other words, is his surliness an act or his real personality?

 

I'll take your opinion with a higher regard than I will the opinions of some of these media types in Chicago who wouldn't know who Wally Backman was if they shared a taxi with him.

Past, here is my take.......

 

First of all, Backman wasn't fired, he just wasn't offered a new contract. His old contract ended. The Sox did offer him a new contract during the season, but he chose not to sign it until he saw what was going to happen in Chicago (whether Manuel would be retained, etc.). So obviously at that point there wasn't a major problem with him.

 

Wally was a fiery personality and was an excellent manager. He was as good as I have ever seen at game management and he knew how to win. His players loved to play for him. I don't think he was a prick at all. He was very confident in his abilities, however. He liked to be in charge. He stuck up for his players and got thrown out of a lot of games. Sometimes he probably went overboard in arguing with umpires. He was responsible for the best show after getting kicked out of a game I have ever seen (Lou Piniella or Earl Weaver couldn't hold a candle to that perormance) and he also berated umpires after the game once with quite salty language within earshot of many kids and families (that one didn't go over to well).

 

I never knew him to be rude or obnoxious. He just had the demeanor of a guy that knew he was headed for bigger and better things. That may rub some people the wrong way (possibly even Minor League coaches that have been laboring for years?) but if you knew him it was obvious he was very driven. If you knew him he would tell you what he thought but he would do it in a joking, fun manner.

 

Wally was given the indication that he would be promoted to be the Sox manager during the season and that Manuel could be fired at any point. My guess is Wally was a little too aggressive in discussing that with others and he rubbed some people the wrong way. He would have been much better served to be more patient and quiet about the whole process.

 

He was very cocky about his own abilities as well. He knew he was good and he was. But sometimes you say things in front of others in Birmingham, you aren't thinking they are going to get back to others in Chicago. I believe a few things did. And my guess is that was his downfall. That said, I never heard he openly campaigned for Manuel's job. He just spoke about what he would do if/when he got there because he was basically being told the job was his. He should have taken a more patient, low-key and humble approach, in retrospect. I think he just got caught up in the hype.

 

That help?

[southsideirish]

Players, coaches, executives move from organization to organization all the time. They develop bonds with people they have "gone to battle" with. For a fan to get upset with someone for calling and ex-teammate and congratulating him on being successful is, in my opinion, ridiclous.

 

You are right they do. He picked a bad time to do it. He could have waited until the season was completely over.

 

That is all I am saying. Please don't give me this gone to battle crap. I hate that. They wouldn't know the first thing about war or a battle. I am not saying I do either. I also have more respect for what our soldiers go through than to use that analogy.