Omar, Fred, Jeff: It's time to give Wally a shot.

Willie Randolph is a good man; of that there cannot be any doubt. I love his sincere appreciation of baseball history, in particular the role played by Jackie Robinson and other great African-American players in making baseball a truly American game. I admire the way he carries himself, the respect he manifests for those with whom he works: players, front office guys, the media, fans. He was a winner as a player, contributing mightily to some great Yankee teams. Willie Randolph is now and has always been a class act.

That said...

Willie's time as Mets' manager must end, and the sooner the better.

Randolph's shortcomings are glaring. His inability to handle a major league pitching staff (an over-reliance on pitch counts leading to an under-utilization of his starters and an overuse of the most mediocre members of his bullpen) has led to disaster after disaster over the past three years. His low-key style seems to make an already laid-back core of Mets players all the more soporific. He's shown little tactical imagination; he almost never uses the hit-and-run, for example, preferring instead to use the sacrifice, even with a strong base-runner on first. In short, it seems as good a man as Willie Randolph is, he's that bad a manager. He must go.

His replacement should be Wally Backman.

Mets fans who remember '86 know Wally Backman as one of that team's sparkplugs: a short, dirty-uniformed, over-achieving, ripping-and-snorting second baseman and number-two hitter, who made up in brains, guts, and desire what he lacked in natural ability. With Dykstra, Hernandez, Carter, and Knight, Backman was one of that squad's high-intensity red-asses who time after time helped grab victory from the jaws of defeat. That '86 team was talented, sure, but what made it special was it's "refuse-to-lose" attitude. And no player better exemplified that posture than it's platoon second baseman, Wally Backman.

The Mets erred big-time when they traded Wally to the Twins after '88 for a handful of magic beans. He played a few more years with the Twins, Phillies, Pirates, and Mariners, before hanging it up as a player after being released by Seattle in May 1993.

That wasn't it for Wally as far as baseball goes, however. In the mid-'90s he started managing in the minor leagues with great success. In 2002 his Double-A Birmingham team won the Southern League title. He led Lancaster to the California League playoffs and was named The Sporting News' Minor League Manager of the Year in 2004.

Following that season he has considered for both the Mets' and Diamondbacks' managerial vacancies. The D-Backs struck first, hiring Backman for the upcoming 2005 season.

Sadly, it was not to be. Apparently unbeknownst to the team's upper management, Wally had had some personal problems--troubles that would not only cost him the D-Backs job, but essentially render him persona non grata to all of organized baseball.

There were revelations of a 2000 DUI conviction in Washington state, and a 2001 misdemeanor harassment arrest in Oregon. He pled guilty to the latter charge, receiving a year's probation. He was also ordered to undergo anger management counseling and pay $1000 to the local Boys' and Girls' club. It was also discovered that his finances were a mess, that he'd declared bankruptcy in 2003. The upshot? The D-Backs fired Backman four days after hiring him, before he ever managed a game for them.

Since then, unable to get a job in affiliated baseball, Backman has worked outside it, managing teams in independent leagues.

There's no question Wally Backman messed-up a few times. He hasn't demonstrated a talent for living a smooth, untroubled life. He has, however, paid for every misstep, or so it seems. The biggest cost has been what was once an extremely promising career as a baseball manager. Wally Backman might not be great at a lot of things, but he's proven himself to be a terrific baseball man at every turn. Thanks to mistakes he made in his personal life, he's been denied the opportunity exploit that ability. That's a loss not only to him, but to baseball. What's the statute of limitations on his screw-ups? I say it's run out. It's time for Wally to get another chance.

The Mets are just the team to give it to him. They need everything he offers: fire, intensity, a proven ability to win and thrive on the biggest stage in sports, New York City. Put Wally Backman in charge of this listless collection of underachievers, and you'll see a difference. The Mets knew what they needed when they chased Lou Piniella a few years ago, but the price was too high. They still need those same qualities Piniella offers. They can get them by hiring a man they unwisely sent packing 20 years ago. In the process, they can give Wally Backman the chance for redemption he deserves.

Omar, Fred, Jeff: It's time to give Wally a shot.