New York Mets

Wally Backman, who believes he was blackballed "to an extent" in Major League Baseball for the past five years, is back with his original club. The Mets hired the fiery former infielder as manager of the organization's short-season Class A team in Brooklyn of the New York-Penn League.

Backman, 50, had been named manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks in November 2004, but he was fired four days later when previous incidents -- including domestic disputes with his first and second wives, a DUI conviction and bankruptcy filing -- came to light in newspaper accounts. Arizona officials cited Backman's failure to disclose those events during his interview as the cause of the reversal.

Backman said he was subsequently unable to find a minor league managerial job with any big-league organization. He instead found employment by managing in independent ball. He won a title with the South Georgia Peanuts in 2007. That experience, chronicled in the documentary "Playing for Peanuts," which showed Backman's fiery side and over-the-top ejections, had its low moments. Because of the league's shaky finances, Backman gave his own money to coaches. The coaching staff had to prepare the field before the championship series.

"I didn't do the lines, because the lines would have been real crooked then," Backman quipped. "It just happened to be a disaster that year."

The Mets drafted Backman in the first round in 1977. He debuted in the majors three years later while living just off Flatbush Avenue, by Kings Plaza, with minor league teammate Keith Bode, a Brooklynite, and Bode's mother -- near where the Brooklyn Cyclones now play.

During the Mets' 1986 championship season, Backman hit .320 while splitting second base duty with Tim Teufel. Backman ultimately played 14 major league seasons, with stops from 1989-93 in Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Seattle.

"We took winning and losing personally," Backman said about the approach of the '86 Mets. "I still do that. That might be why I'm a little bit too high-strung at times. I like for the kids to try to take that stuff personal, too. I think it helps them throughout their career. If you can take a loss personal and use the proper energy the way it's supposed to be used the next day, you end up winning a lot of baseball games."

Dave Howard, the Mets' executive vice president for business, said a "significant clause" in Backman's contract stipulates he may be dismissed for any misconduct.

"Part of the discussion was, 'Hey, Wally, we're giving you a shot, but you have to understand that if there's any hiccup along the way, we would have the right to terminate the relationship,'" Howard said. "He understood that. He was more than happy with that because he's confident there are not going to be any issues."

—The Mets planned to fill out their coaching staff by naming Dave Jauss the team's bench coach and Chip Hale as the third base coach. They held the same positions with Baltimore and Arizona, respectively, last season.

• Sandy Alomar Jr., who served as the Mets' catching instructor, has left the organization. Alomar, whose father, Sandy Sr., was not retained as bench coach by the Mets, joined Cleveland's staff as incoming manager Manny Acta's first base coach.

• Tim Teufel has been hired as Class AA Binghamton's manager. The ex-Met earned a promotion from Class A St. Lucie, which he skippered for four of the past five seasons.

• After numerous complaints from visiting teams about obstructed views of the field from the bullpen at Citi Field, the Mets plan to reconfigure the relievers' quarters before next season. Rather than have the visiting team's bullpen be behind the home team's bullpen in right-center field, the bullpens will be changed to side-by-side, with both teams having direct views of the field.

• C Josh Thole continued to lead the Venezuelan winter league in hitting. Thole, who is expected to open 2010 at Class AAA Buffalo, had a .407 average with Caracas through 29 games.

By The Numbers:

8—Mets who filed for free agency: INF Alex Cora, 1B Carlos Delgado, RHP Elmer Dessens, INF Ramon Martinez, RHP J.J. Putz, C Brian Schneider, OF Gary Sheffield and INF/OF Fernando Tatis.

Quote To Note:

"Delgado's a guy, if he's healthy, you're going to get a lot of contribution—30 home runs, 100 RBI. You're going to get that from Delgado. He's one of the guys it's safe to invest the money because he (takes) care of himself."

—CF Carlos Beltran, lobbying the Mets to re-sign Delgado as the team's first baseman. Delgado, 37, had only 94 at-bats in 2009 before requiring season-ending hip surgery.

The Mets, despite the National League's highest payroll, tied Arizona for the league's third-worst record. While injuries contributed to the woeful season, Mets officials have significant work to do to retool the team for 2010.

Biggest Needs:

The Mets' Nos. 2-4 pitchers in the rotation, RHP Mike Pelfrey, LHP Oliver Perez and RHP John Maine, combined for a 20-22 record, so upgrading the rotation would be welcome. The Mets also need to replace free agent C Brian Schneider, add a power-hitting left fielder, an eighth-inning reliever and a left-hander for the bullpen.

Free Agents:

C Brian Schneider, 1B Carlos Delgado, 1B/OF Fernando Tatis, INF Alex Cora, RHP J.J. Putz, OF Gary Sheffield, INF Ramon Martinez, RHP Elmer Dessens, LHP Ken Takahashi (released).

Schneider acknowledged the Mets have no plans to re-sign him. Delgado is unlikely to return, with the organization seemingly prepared to use Daniel Murphy at first base. Cora and Tatis may be re-signed. Sheffield and Dessens may be at the end of their careers, although both indicated they want to play in 2010.

Arbitration-eligible:

LHP Pedro Feliciano, RF Jeff Francoeur, RHP Sean Green, RHP John Maine, OF Angel Pagan, RHP Tim Redding, OF Jeremy Reed, OF Cory Sullivan.

Francoeur would have been non-tendered by the Braves had he not been traded, but he is expected to return to the Mets, perhaps with a multiyear deal. Reed is the most likely to be cut loose. Redding finished well in the rotation and could be brought back in a long-relief/spot-starter role if he agrees to a contract comparable to this year's $2.25 million base salary.

In Limbo:

GM Omar Minaya remains on shaky ground with the team's fan base due to the team's disappointing results and his handling of internal matters.

Medical Watch:

SS Jose Reyes (torn right hamstring, right leg surgery in October 2009) should be healthy in time for spring training.

RF Jeff Francoeur (left thumb surgery in November 2009) is expected to be fully healthy in time for spring training.

LHP Johan Santana (left elbow surgery in September 2009) finished the season on the disabled list after having bone chips removed. The surgery should not impact his preparations for 2010.

LHP Oliver Perez (right knee surgery in September 2009) missed the season's final six weeks.

LHP Jon Niese (right hamstring surgery in August 2009) is recovering from the operation.

OF Fernando Martinez (right knee surgery in July 2009) is expected to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic with Escogido.