Misery Loves Company: Two Guys Watch Baseball

Just For the Record

Last week, when Wally Backman's woes were exposed and Arizona dumped him in favor of Bob Melvin (last seen going down with the Mariner ship, losing 30 more games than the year prior), I felt bad for Backman. The more I see and read about it, the worse I feel for the guy. He's had some problems, but he's also had some bum luck -- none worse than during his untimely 5-day stint as D-back skipper. I can't help feel that his past, which isn't any worse than, say, Bobby Cox's, shouldn't be affecting his managerial status. It'd be great if the Mets could cut him a break and get his career back on track, but their AAA and AA posts are filled with solid managers: John Stearns and Ken Oberkfell, respectively. Maybe a bench coach in New York? Anything?

I have a funny (funny meaning bad) feeling that sometime in 2005, when Cool Willie will be calmly overseeing the Mets' slow demise in much the same way Grandpa Art, did, I'll be wishing we had a fiery, scrappy skipper to light a fire under the underachievers' asses. Someone like Wally Backman.

It just seems wrong, that's all.