Looking, Waiting, Hoping - For A Major League Job ...

[whoisonit]

Wally Backman is interviewed in today's NY Post about his baseball purgatory and burning desire for a second chance. Many in baseball consider him 'the best manager without a job'.

What's the big deal here ?

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06012008/sports/mets/major_obstacle_113487.htm

[blacksilverfan12]

It's not just managers either

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/column...rry&id=3415233

[blacksilverfan12]

I remember that scenario in '04. If I'm right, the D-Backs didn't even check his background. So I'm wondering why Backman still pays the price for their mistake...

[whoisonit]

I remember that scenario in '04. If I'm right, the D-Backs didn't even check his background. So I'm wondering why Backman still pays the price for their mistake...

I don't see what his big sin is. If the Diamondbacks wanted a squeeky clean choir boy, they should have done exaustive vetting on Backman first. That was their mistake, not his.

What really were his big sins ? He got a DUI. That's bad, no doupt, but enough to prevent you from managing a baseball team ? What are you fit to manage, a restaurant ? A car wash ? It makes no sense. Tony Larussa is a drunk with a DUI record.

He didn't pay all his taxes ? Stone Him !! I, for one, would never do that ! He paid his fines. The big deal is what exactly ?

Baseball gives all sorts of creeps second chances. Just from the '86 team alone are Gooden & Strawberry. They hurt alot of people and cost alot of money to people in the game. They got second, third, fourth, and in the case of Straw, he's on, what ? his 18th chance now ?

Where would a guy like Bobby Cox be if he were seeking a job today, in this image concious, PC, enviroment.

I won't even mention guys like Earl Weaver & Billy Martin.

[whoisonit]

I remember that scenario in '04. If I'm right, the D-Backs didn't even check his background. So I'm wondering why Backman still pays the price for their mistake...

I don't see what his big sin is. If the Diamondbacks wanted a squeeky clean choir boy, they should have done exaustive vetting on Backman first. That was their mistake, not his.

What really were his big sins ? He got a DUI. That's bad, no doupt, but enough to prevent you from managing a baseball team ? What are you fit to manage, a restaurant ? A car wash ? It makes no sense. Tony Larussa is a drunk with a DUI record.

He didn't pay all his taxes ? Stone Him !! I, for one, would never do that ! He paid his fines. The big deal is what exactly ?

Baseball gives all sorts of creeps second chances. Just from his old '86 Met's team alone are Gooden & Strawberry. They hurt alot of people and cost alot of money to people in the game. They got second, third, fourth, and in the case of Straw, he's on, what ? his 18th chance now ?

Where would a guy like Bobby Cox be if he were seeking a job today, in this image concious, PC, enviroment.

I won't even mention guys like Earl Weaver & Billy Martin.

[RuthMayBond]

I don't see what his big sin is. If the Diamondbacks wanted a squeeky clean choir boy, they should have done exaustive vetting on Backman first. That was their mistake, not his.

What really were his big sins ? He got a DUI. That's bad, no doupt, but enough to prevent you from managing a baseball team ? What are you fit to manage, a restaurant ? A car wash ? It makes no sense. Tony Larussa is a drunk with a DUI record.

He didn't pay all his taxes ? Stone Him !! I, for one, would never do that ! He paid his fines. The big deal is what exactly ?

Baseball gives all sorts of creeps second chances. Just from the '86 team alone are Gooden & Strawberry. They hurt alot of people and cost alot of money to people in the game. They got second, third, fourth, and in the case of Straw, he's on, what ? his 18th chance now ?

Where would a guy like Bobby Cox be if he were seeking a job today, in this image concious, PC, enviroment.

I won't even mention guys like Earl Weaver & Billy Martin.

They'll probably hire Steve Howe instead

[Wade8813]

Yes, Arizona made a mistake, but that doesn't mean they should have kept him. You don't solve mistakes by ignoring them.

It's completely understandable to forgive someone, and give them another chance. Sometimes you'll end up with someone who's much wiser because they learned from their mistakes. On the other hand, it's also understandable to look at a DUI, realize how serious that is, and decide you don't want that in your organization.

Also, there's a difference between being willing to give someone a second chance, and hiring them because you don't care, and will do anything to win. I think there was a lot of that with some of the aforementioned people.

[whoisonit]

Also, there's a difference between being willing to give someone a second chance, and hiring them because you don't care, and will do anything to win. I think there was a lot of that with some of the aforementioned people.

I don't see how Bobby Cox & Earl Weaver fit into the "anything to win", "don't care" category. That's not plausible.

I don't see how hiring someone to be a field manager with a DUI in his past is "something you don't want" for your team.

This day and age of ploitical correctness and idea that anything other than bland & corporate is offensive is ruining baseball.

Baseball teams should be run by baseball men. Baseball men chew tobacco, spit, scratch their nuts on TV and hang out at the hotel bar sometimes. How could we ever expose ourselves & our children to that ! Oh my !

[blacksilverfan12]

Baseball teams should be run by baseball men. Baseball men chew tobacco, spit, scratch their nuts on TV and hang out at the hotel bar sometimes.

How does that make somebody a baseball man?