This semi-hypothetical situation is a mere reflection on the Mets doing their best in a thin free agent and trade market. Minaya did have an offseason checklist that was quite long and scratching a corner outfielder off of it is a positive, but did he get the right player for the team without overpaying?

The general manager brought Jason Bay to Flushing at anything but a discount and although he is a talented player, is he the cleanup-type that they were so desperately looking for? At 31, Bay still has many quality years ahead of him and should be productive for the length of the deal, but he will be making superstar money and has yet to shown that he can carry a team.

The four-year, $66-million contract both sides agreed to (pending a physical) has to make one think why it has taken nearly three weeks to hammer it out when there were clearly no other serious suitors for Bay, another glaring point in itself. The Boston Red Sox wanted to retain him and made a generous offer for the same length but $6 million less. Bay chose to test the waters out there on the open market and did not find as many takers as he may have expected.

Other than the Mets, there were no other teams making more than brief inquiries of Bay. Maybe Minaya did not bid against himself, but he is on the hook for $16.25 million a year for a player who strikes out frequently and will not make folks forget Kevin McReynolds in left field any time soon.

Bay was actually a Met farmhand at one time before being traded to the San Diego Padres in a two-for-one deal, with the main player changing addresses being righthanded reliever Steve Reeves. He then made his way to Pittsburgh and won the 2004 National League Rookie of the Year award. Playing in virtual obscurity for a team spinning its wheels, the Canadian-born outfielder was a steady hitter who played in 162, 159 and 145 games the next three seasons. He also hit 30 home runs and drove in at least 100 base runners in two of those campaigns.

In 2008, Bay was part of the three-way trade that shipped Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers and had his highest numbers as far as productivity (36 home runs, 119 RBI) last summer in his walk year. He also had his worst season as far as striking out goes with 162 Ks and his batting average (.267) was the second lowest of his career.

For a team that was lead in home runs by Jeff Francouer with 12, even the mention of someone who can hit 30 long balls is good news. But Bay is probably geared more for what he was in Boston, which was a role player with a lot of talent around him. Maybe he had to carry the load in Pittsburgh, but there was not much pressure there and championships were the furthest expectation at PNC Park. That is not the case at Citi Field.

Minaya is on the hot seat and must have felt that he needed to do something so he can say he filled a need with what was available. You can easily make the argument that the organization would have been better off waiting for a player who filled more holes if they were going to spend a large sum of money.

But that would have been a cold act at this time of year. Bah-humbug.

Or, in fishing terms, the Mets, in a city like New York, have long been the small fish in a big pond when compared to their cross-town Bronx rivals.

That’s particularly true this offseason, with the Yankees coming off a whale of season, after winning their 27th world championship as the Mets struggled through some rough waters on the way to an awful 70-win, fourth place finish in the National League East.

Since then, the Yankees haven’t rested on their laurels. Instead, they’ve continued fishing for more help to improve the direction of where they want their ship to head next year. Curtis Granderson, Nick Johnson, and Javier Vazquez have all come aboard the good ship Yankee 2010.

And, the Mets’ biggest division rival, the Philadelphia Phillies, upgraded from Cliff Lee to Roy Halladay.

Meanwhile, the Mets were reeling in guppies and veering further off course. Netting backup catchers and pitchers R.A Dickey and Kelvim Escobar weren’t exactly the types of moves that were going to prevent a mutiny among Met fans after last season.

And, other big names were being snatched up elsewhere while the Mets kept missing the boat on each one.

Finally, on Tuesday however, the Mets landed their own big fish, by grabbing “Flushing Bay” –- as in Jason Bay, to play in Flushing — where the leftfielder will patrol the part of Citi Field which overlooks the real Flushing Bay.
Unfortunately for the Mets, Bay can’t pitch, and starting pitching among other areas remain part of the considerable work still left to do for Mets’ general manager Omar Minaya.

But, given both of last year’s World Series participants, with New York’s other team taking home another title while the Mets crumbled under the weight of a rash of injuries and underachieving players, the Mets had to show something of significance to their fan base this offseason.

Until Tuesday, Minaya’s empty promises of improving the Mets roster since the end of last season seemed like nothing more than proverbial exaggerated fish tales to anxious Met fans.

That’s why the Mets simply couldn’t let yet another big fish get away, even if $66 million for four years, with a vesting option worth an additional $14 million in a possible fifth year might be somewhat overpaying for a slugger with very good home run potential tempered by a high strikeout propensity.

For the Mets, it’s a potentially high risk, high reward move, looking at what the free agent Bay did last year with Boston. He had a career-high 162 strikeouts last season, but he also had career highs of 36 home runs and 119 runs batted in.

Those last two numbers are sorely needed in a Mets lineup that was severely offensively challenged last year, due in large part to injuries to key players who should return with good bills of health next season. If players such as Carlos Beltran and Jose Reyes stay healthy and return to previous form, Bay should only help that much more.

Landing Bay alone won’t lead to a sudden tidal wave of success for the Mets. And, this by far, can’t be the last of Minaya’s big upgrades before the start of next season. But, after what had been a very uneventful and disappointing offseason for the Mets, the signing of “Flushing Bay” is a big catch that should at least keep disgruntled Met fans “at bay” for now.

You have to give the Mets credit here. A reportedly four-year, $66 million deal give the Mets their left fielder for the next four seasons, while adding a big bat in the idle of the lineup, one that has been missing since Carlos Delgado’s hip went out on him in the middle of May.

But let’s not call it an off-season yet. There’s still a lot of work to do. The Mets still need a catcher and of course a front of the line starter to compliment Johan Santana.

Now it seems like they are close to grabbing Bengie Molina to catch, and if that doesn’t work, the Mets can get Rod Barajas behind the plate. But that No. 2 starter? Well that’s another question.

There’s not much out there for the Mets. Joel Pineiro interests the club, especially after a 15-win season, but you have to wonder if that was Dave Duncan’s magic at work. Or they could explore a trade for Carlos Zambrano, but that’s seems like a long shot given the pitcher’s no-trade clause in his contract. Or the Mets can go and grab a reclamation project like Ben Sheets or Chien-Ming Wang, but that would just add another question mark to a team with rehabbing players.

Yet, that’s the story of the Mets for this off-season. They can fill their holes nicely, but without a healthy club in 2010, there will be no chance for competing for the post season. Jose Reyes needs to run at full speed, while Carlos Beltran has to have healthy knees. Johan Santana needs a healthy knee and elbow, while David Wright has to learn how to hit with power again.

Unless that happens, signing Jason Bay is just academic.

Speaking of Bay, you have to wonder if he really wanted to be here. Without any other offer, the 31 year-old outfielder sat and waited for the Mets to flinch on their initial four-year offer. But without anybody else competing for his services, you have to wonder if he really wanted to play in Queens. Next week, we will hear how much he loved the organization in 2002 when he was a Met farmhand and how much he loves New York and always wanted a chance to prove himself here. But his actions – or in this case inactions – the last three weeks tell another story.

You also have to wonder why the Red Sox bowed out so quickly. There are rumors about the health of his shoulders and if there are long term problems, will he make it through the life of the contract? Or will the Mets see another high priced free agent produce for a year or two, and then succumb to age in jury?

General manager Omar Minaya is on the hot seat, so he may be thinking of the near term rather than the bigger picture, while COO Jeffrey Wilpon is desperate to sell season ticket plans, which have dropped off to a snail’s pace. Bay could be the quick fix they are seeking for those problems, but it doesn’t mean it translates into wins in 2010.

Sure Bay does make the club better, but without the upgrades at other positions, the Mets will be desperately undermanned in a division that’s getting tougher and tougher every day.

Minaya, born in the Dominican Republic in 1958, moved to Queens at the age of eight. He attended public schools in the borough. Interestingly, the boy who grew up a Mets fan is now directing baseball activities for that same team. Minaya did not seem uncomfortable only eight blocks south of the home of the New York Yankees as he was joined by many Mets fans that live in the area. He started his remarks with praise of his surroundings,

“It is a cold night, but we are here in the warmth of the Bronx.” He complimented the Mets fans in the restaurant for their bravery, “Yes, this is Yankee country. I give you a lot of credit for wearing Mets hats here today”

Although the purpose of Minaya’s visit to the Bronx was to speak in honor of Clemente, he did not ignore the interest of those present in the 2010 baseball season. When Latino Sports CEO Julio Pabon told those attending that questions would be limited to the topic of Roberto Clemente, Minaya gently interrupted, “It’s winter; they want to talk about baseball. Let’s take four or five questions.”

Minaya responded to those baseball queries without hesitation or annoyance. When asked why the Mets are not pursuing free agent outfielder Matt Holiday in addition to Jason Bay, Minaya replied, “We are pursuing Matt Holiday. It seems to be easier to make a deal for Jason Bay.” It appears at this writing that the Mets are in the forefront of signing Bay. The sticking point seems to be whether the contract will be for four or five years duration.

The GM was asked his opinion of the 2010 Mets starting rotation. He quickly answered, “[Johan] Santana, [Mike] Pelfrey, [John] Maine, [Oliver] Perez , [Jonathon] Niese and possibly a free agent. Minaya tried to assure the Mets supporters the team would be improved next season, “Last year was a very difficult year. Injuries came together. These things happen. These things build character. Things will turn around.”

The New Yorker since the age of eight, refused to malign the Yankees, “I’m not one of those Mets fans that’s a Yankee hater. I’m a New Yorker. I would be happiest to see a Mets-Yankees World Series.”

Minaya, like his counterpart on the Yankees, Brian Cashman, receives criticism more than praise from the team’s rabid fan base. He understands that one in his position cannot have a thin skin, “It’s about what you do, not what they say about you.” Minaya described the incredulous feeling of a Latino boy from Queens who sometimes had to sneak into Shea Stadium because his hard-working but poor parents could not afford to give him the money to go to ball games very often now being a top executive of the team.

The first Latino general manager of a big league franchise was complimentary of the second, Ruben Amaaro, Jr. of the Phillies. He joked “I was there to guide him. Maybe, I guided him too much. They beat us the last two years.”

We are on the verge of entering the second week of Bay-watch with Jason Bay still holding out for a fifth year, while catcher Bengie Molina looking for a third guaranteed season.

Do they deserve it? With Bay, maybe, but Molina, no way – two years is too much for a 35 year-old catcher, let alone three.

Yet, the Mets wait and as Santa Claus is set to make his annual run tomorrow, Met fans are wondering what will be under their Christmas trees.

Well, it’s time for the Mets to make a decision. If they want to sweeten the pot with Bay for a fifth year option, so be it, but then tell both Bay’s agent Joe Upton and Molina’s rep Fernando Cuza, it’s time to make up their minds. Give them the Christmas holiday weekend to make up their minds, or tell them the team will look elsewhere.

This waiting game is a very dangerous proposition. Sure it worked two years ago with Johan Santana, but there were more wheels in motion there. First Minnesota had to trade him to the Mets and then they dealt with the player.

But that’s not the case here. By all accounts both Bay and Molina have no other leverage; the Mets seem to be the only player. Yet, the longer the team waits the more windows open up. Look at the Javy Vasquez trade yesterday. Now it’s possible for either Atlanta or even the Yankees to have interest in Bay and the Mets will be left out in the cold.

In the past, when the Mets went after their big ticket items, they brought them to New York. Jeff Wilpon entertained them and showed them places to live. Right now, we are seeing none of that, which makes one believe neither player is really interested in the New York Mets. If that’s the case, then it’s time to move on, be it with Matt Holliday or some other cheaper option.

Wellington Mara once said, “There’s no fooling our fans.” Yet, this is what the Mets are trying to do here. With season renewals going at a snail’s pace, the Mets are desperate to be relevant in this market. Yet, what they are doing is shooting themselves in the foot, because everyone sees right through that act.

There’s no shame in rebuilding and you can do it in New York. Just look at the Knicks, who are starting to come to life this season and have a bright future if they can sign their high ticket free agents. If the Mets just said to the fan base they are trying to compete next year, but also present a long term plan, then no one would ever complain.

Yet, they are trying to continue their patchwork plan, which they do every off-season. That has gotten Minaya all of one postseason, two epic collapses, and one really bad 2009.

It’s time now to end this and come up with a plan. It starts today by ending the waiting game with Bay and Molina and telling both it’s time for them to make up their minds.

But this year is different, with so many holes to fill, so the Mets, the field is wide open for the Amazin’s in Indianapolis, just like the race the city entertains every Memorial Day Weekend.

The Mets have a lot of holes to fill, after a 92-loss season. So this year, much maligned GM Omar Minaya has a handful to fill holes in left field, catcher, the rotation, and the bullpen.

So it stands to reason that the rumors were flying yesterday with a Philadelphia website reporting the Mets acquired former nemesis Pay Burrell for Luis Castillo and Detroit pitcher Edwin Jackson also coming to Queens for an unidentified player. Neither was true.

What we do know is that the Mets are trying to make a trade or two in Indy, forcing their way to improve the team even with a meager $25 million to spend on free agents.

“I don’t want to say I’m that close,” Minaya said to reporters in Indianapolis. “But closer than we were. I’m getting either an idea that we’re going to get it done or not get it done. Put it this way – I’m further along today than I was [Sunday] night.”

It looks like he is trying to trade Castillo, especially with the team looking at free agent second baseman Adam Kennedy. And this morning the NY Post is reporting Minaya is talking to Milwaukee about a John Maine for Corey Hart swap. (And no, Minaya was not seen wearing his sunglasses at night.)

Yet, that’s the insanity of the Winter Meetings, especially this season with the direct line to the event through programs like Twitter. In the past when a reporter would get a rumor, he or she would have some time to research it, but now once said it’s just a few taps on the Blackberry away from becoming public.

So expect the rumors to fly over the next three days, as the Mets desperately try to fill in their holes. With the Mets shopping Castillo, every bad contract out there will be rumored coming to New York, even if the fit isn’t there, while Minaya looks for bargains to fill his holes.

Oh, he will kick the tires on free agents as well. If the price is right for Bengie Molina, then he will be signed – look for a Castillo like 2-year, $12 million contract there – and of course, Minaya will look at John Lackey, although he may be out of the team’s price range.

Yet, Lackey’s price may come down and if a few smart trades do occur, then Minaya may have the money for a high price ticket like the Angels erstwhile ace. And if that happens, then the Mets may be able to salvage a very bumpy 2009.

One thing is for certain though – at these Winter Meetings, the race has just started.

So, in no particular order, here are the first three of Jimmy Scott’s Top 6 Most Shocking MLB Events of All-Time: The Games:

1.  1989 World Series Game 1

Pre-game, Game 3, San Francisco, 1989 World Series.  The Oakland A’s were up two games to none.  Then, the ground shook.

The Bay Bridge collapsed.  More than 2000 buildings were toppled.  63 people were killed and 3,757 were injured.  Game 3, scheduled for October 17th, wouldn’t be played for 10 days.  The A’s would sweep, the first World Series sweep since 1976.

Other than the natural disaster, this was not one of baseball’s most interesting Fall Classics.  Sweeps are never as fun to experience as a 7-game series (think 1991 Twins/Braves), unless your team is doing the sweeping.  It’s unfortunate for both the sweeping Athletics and swept Giants that this World Series is best known for what took place off the field.

2.  1986 World Series Game 6

One could call this game The Bill Buckner & Mookie Wilson Future Card Show Appearance Game.  In other words, it was Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.  Note this followed Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS, in which the Angels Donnie Moore gave up a game-tying home run to Dave Henderson of the Red Sox.  Moore would eventually commit suicide, partially because of his pitching error (he pitched the following inning without the Sox scoring).  But compare Moore’s fate to Bill Buckner’s.  Buckner, a very good hitter, was hobbled and usually replaced for defense.  But on the field in the bottom of the 10th at a packed Shea Stadium with two outs in Game 6, Buckner “let” a ground ball hit off the bat of Mookie Wilson go past his glove and through his legs.  Ray Knight scored the winning run from second base, the Mets came back from the brink of a long and cold winter to win not only Game 6 but Game 7 as well.

But like the famous Steve Bartman Game in the 2003 NLCS, fans forget other circumstances.  Buckner wasn’t the only man to blame.  Boston manager John McNamara, to this day, is criticized for not making the defensive switch, like he did in the regular season.  And while Calvin Shiraldi got two quick outs in the bottom of the 10th, he then gave up consecutive singles to Gary Carter, Kevin Mitchell and Ray Knight.  Bob Stanley relieved and promptly threw a wild pitch during the Wilson at-bat, which led Kevin Mitchell to score the tying run from third and Ray Knight to get into scoring position at 2nd base.  Buckner made the error and Game 6 was won by the Mets.

It was a swift victory, completely surprising.  And because it involved a New York team, because Vin Scully was doing the play-by-play for NBC, and because it was against Boston, one of baseball’s most storied franchises, Game 6 goes down as one of the most shocking games of all-time.

3.  The Pine Tar Game

Just a regular game in 1983.  Reliever Mike Armstrong got the win.  Dan Quisenberry got the save.  Game-winning home run by George Brett in Yankee Stadium.  Only Brett got ejected after the home run, as did manager Dick Howser, coach Rocky Colavito and pitcher Gaylord Perry.  Why was Perry ejected?  For giving Brett’s home run bat to a bat boy and telling him to hide it.  Why did they hide the bat?  Pine Tar.

What is Pine Tar?  It’s a sticky substance that’s source is pine tree stumps and roots that, after an intensely high-heating process, “has a long history as a wood preservative, as a wood sealant for maritime use, in roofing construction and maintenance, in soaps such as Packer’s Pine Tar Soap and in the treatment of skin diseases, such as psoriasis, eczema, and rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha).” [source: Wikipedia]

Pine Tar is also used on baseball bats to give hitters a better grip.  The rules state Pine Tar is allowed on a bat from the knob up to 18 inches.  In the Pine Tar game, Brett was accused by Yankees manager Billy Martin that the Pine Tar on Brett’s bat exceeded what the rules allow.  Brett was ejected and his home run disallowed after the umpires discussed the rule.  Famously, Brett stormed out of the dugout and had to be restrained.  If you read his lips as he erupted, you can see his choice of language was not appropriate for too many churches or mosques.

The Pine Tar Game is most famous for Brett’s eruption, Martin’s protest, and the resumption of the game 25 days later after the umpire ruling was overturned by the American League office.  Approximately 1,200 fans showed up to watch the final four outs of the game, one in which the Royals would win 5 to 4.

For an interesting viewpoint by winning pitcher Armstrong, read THIS.

Coming Soon: Shocking Games Numbers 4-6.

Jimmy Scott is probably the greatest pitcher you’ve never heard of.  Visit Jimmy Scott’s High & Tight to read more from Jimmy and guests Desi Relaford, Eric Valent & Cassidy Dover.  You’ll also hear a new interview every Monday morning with former MLB players, agents, wives and others; giving new outlooks on this great game we call Baseball.  Go there now to hear Jimmy’s latest interviews with Rollie Fingers, Desi Relaford, Brent Mayne and MLB Umpire Hunter Wendelstedt.  You can follow Jimmy on Twitter or Facebook.

“I couldn’t really ask for a better minor league job.” Backman told reporters at a press conference held at Keyspan Park on Tuesday, formally announcing his selection as the manager of the Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones, an affiliate of the New York Mets.  “This organization is where I started, and my heart never left New York. A piece of you never leaves the first place you play.”

Since being fired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004, a job he held for four days, the two-time Minor League Manager of the Year has been trying to repair his reputation and get a job in affiliated baseball.

I had interviewed Backman during the 2005 season, trying to ascertain why he hadn’t hooked up with another major league club.  I met up with him again during the 2005 Winter Meetings in Dallas, where Backman was looking to earn a spot with another team.  He received no offers.

He had hoped the Mets would call.  He’d had a few conversations with team insiders about the then-vacancy at Double-A Binghamton before Jeff Wilpon handed over the discussions to the baseball operations people.  According to Bob Klapisch in the Bergen Record (1/15/2006), Backman was told he “wasn’t a fit.”

At the time, while covering the Mets for Gotham Baseball Magazine, I was also told by a minor league official that Backman “wasn’t in Tony Bernazard’s little black book”, putting the blame on the now departed VP of Player Development.

“I gave that organization 13 years of my life,” Backman told me at the time. “I don’t understand it.”

Interesting, isn’t it, that the door has opened for Backman now that Bernazard is gone?  In any event, Backman went about trying to get back into baseball.  One of those efforts, an otherwise ill-fated stint (because of the buffoons that ran the league and the team, not because of Backman, who took his team to the championship) with the South Georgia Peanuts in the now-defunct South Coast League during the 2007 season, actually played a major factor in Backman’s return.

Award-winning filmmaker John Fitzgerald (The Emerald Diamond) spent that spring and summer with Backman and the Peanuts filming the reality series “Playing For Peanuts”.

Joe Janish, the former Managing Editor of BaseballDigest.com and the publisher of MetsToday.com — who has spent many a day lobbying for Backman’s return to the Mets – interviewed Fitzgerald when “Peanuts” debuted in the spring on 2008 on SNY.

“Once I found out Wally Backman was managing a team, I chose to follow his team because he had the most interesting story in all aspects (playing, coaching, personal). Other than that, I had NO idea what to expect.”

He was right, because not long after the show debuted, Fitzgerald, despite facing horrendous budget costs (which still exist), pulled the show after the Mets’ flagship network refused to promote it.

“SNY refused to promote the show even though it is being promoted in other cities as part of the same agreement. I tried to compromise on the level of promotion and I never got anywhere with it,” Fitzgerald said in a statement.  “… I can’t give the show away for free in New York if SNY won’t promote it. It isn’t fair to the show, the show’s investors or the production crew – many of whom worked for deferred payment and are still waiting for the show to turn a profit.”

It still hasn’t, and in this writer’s opinion, SNY has yet to provide it’s viewership with an equally compelling alternative.

SNY’s lack of desire to promote the show was, according to several people we spoke with at the time, mainly due to pressure from ownership.  The feeling was that any direct attention given to Backman would be a distraction to the big club.  The daily broadcast presence of the enormously popular Backman, coupled by a growing dissatisfaction with then-manager Willie Randolph, would create too much “Backman Should Manage The Mets” hype from the media and fanbase.  It strengthened the belief of many that Backman would never be allowed to work for the Mets in any capacity.

Perhaps the most ironic twist is that Fitzgerald, whose work on the “Peanuts” series helped spark the friendship with Backman that remains strong to this day, was actually the person who provided Backman with Jeff Wilpon’s cell number.  The former second baseman then the call that got the process of his getting back into baseball started.

I don’t shock very easily, but when I was told several weeks ago about that Backman was flying into New York to meet with Jeff Wilpon about possibly joining the Mets in some capacity, I was floored.  I asked myself (and the person who gave me the information), “What’s changed from 2005 or 2008 or this past season?  I still haven’t been able to figure it out, but it would seem that Jeff Wilpon’s willingness to bring in former Mets with a baseball pedigree and a winning attitude is a major factor these days.

Some might argue that it’s a flawed way of doing things, but when comparing the likes of Backman, Teufel, Howard Johnson and Mookie Wilson to Bernazard hiring his buddies (Luis Aguayo and Mako Olivares), it’s pretty safe to say the Mets, and their fans, might be better off.  Time will tell.

In truth, Backman would probably have taken any job the Mets had offered him.  Single-A Port St. Lucie, the hub of the team’s minor league operations, was the destination most figured would make the most sense.  However, in the end, it was the Brooklyn job that was offered.  A cynic would say that this was the Mets’ way of pumping up the ‘Clones attendance, but that’s dopey, as the team in Brooklyn regularly draws better crows than any club in the entire farm system.

In many ways, the Brooklyn job is tougher than any in the organization, save the Mets gig.  Based on what other former Cyclones managers past and present have told me (and I’ve covered every one since the inaugural season of 2001), it’s the most demanding job in the system.  In addition to the mounds of paperwork, constant directives from the minor league department and major league front office on who to play, where to play, who’s in the bullpen, who should start, etc, there the media.

Yes, even in little ol’ Brooklyn, the media demands are very heavy.  From the weekly newspapers in Brooklyn, to the ever-growing internet media outlets, to the stringers from the tabloids, there are always media folks in the managers’ office following games.  One former Cyclones manager once told me in confidence that if he “ever imagined there would be even half of you (bleeps) in this (bleeping) office, I would have took the Kingsport job instead.”

Backman seemed more than up to the task on Tuesday, as several of the Mets’ beat writers made the trek to Coney Island for the press conference.  He also made several video segments for the Cyclones, answered some questions for some of the broadcast crews.  He also stuck around long enough to do one-on-one interviews with MLB.com’s Marty Noble and myself.  He spent the rest of his day going on WFAN with Mike Francesa as well as appearing on SNY’s Daily News LIVE.  It was a long day, but Backman had a smile on this face that even Darryl Strawberry would warm up to.

So Backman is back in baseball and back with the Mets.  He’s going to be expected to win, keep his nose clean and be media-friendly.  Shouldn’t be too hard for a guy that’s been waiting five years to get back into the game – and a city — he loves.

You see, the Wilpon era has been one totally void of any wrinkles to the extent that if a player is said to spit too far he is weeded out. It almost seems beyond comprehension that they would take a chance on Wally Backman managing their short season Single-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones, is a pleasant surprise.

“My heart never left New York,” Backman said in a Coney Island press conference. “I’m excited about the opportunity for a new start with an organization I love.”

The fiery former second baseman, 50, had an infamous short four-day stint as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004. After holding an offseason press conference, the team discovered that the Oregon native had a checkered past that included domestic disputes and an arrest for DUI and quickly let him go.

“I like to play an aggressive style of baseball, and I’ve always been partial to speed and defense,” said Backman, who spent nine seasons at Shea Stadium. “My goal is to teach the kids who will be playing for me – both on and off the field – and help them to become better ballplayers and better people. There’s a right way to play the game and that’s to play hard, smart and give it everything you’ve got.

“That’s how I always played and that’s how I’ve always taught,” continued Backman. “My job is to prepare my players as best I can, and hopefully get them to Citi Field in a few years.”

Too bad that Backman himself will not be at the big league ballpark. He talks about aggressiveness and the right way to play the game. Those traits have been missing for the past few seasons, especially since Jerry Manuel has been in charge. Nice guys finish last, they say, and if not for the hapless Washington Nationals, that is exactly where the Mets would have found themselves this past season.

How do you think Backman would have reacted when Jose Reyes threw one of his public tantrums? Or when Fernando Martinez failed to run out a pop up that fell to the ground and was thrown out at first while standing in the batter’s box? Those countless base running mistakes would also have become a thing of the past with a hard-nosed guy like Backman wearing the captain’s hat.

Always giving themselves a fail-safe net, Mets VP of Business Operations David Howard stated that there is a zero tolerance clause in Backman’s contract. Because he has basically been blackballed since the Arizona debacle, Backman had little choice but to agree to that nonsense. He has been plying his trade but had to do so in Georgia for an independent league club.

Backman may not have hit rock bottom but he was closer to that surface than the other. This may be the first step in making his way back to ‘The Show.’ As a matter of fact, when the Mets were looking for a replacement for Art Howe, Backman was on their short list. General manager Omar Minaya ended up settling on Willie Randolph.

Things may come full circle and the politically correct Mets have gone against the grain for the first time in a long time by making this move. A baby steps, indeed, but one that is pointed in the right direction.

If Backman was never fired by the Arizona Diamondback and ultimately blackballed throughout affiliated baseball, would he have become one of the better managers in baseball or would he have just been a footnote on history.

It’s something no one would ever know, but now the 50 year-old Backman gets a second chance with his appointment by the Mets to helm the Brooklyn Cyclones next season.

“I take full responsibility for the things I did wrong, and I want to go forward,” said Backman, who had a number of problems in the past, including a DUI, domestic disputes, and a bankruptcy. “To start [over] here is good for me.”

Having Backman back with the Mets is a good thing for the organization, since the winning fire is missing. VP of Business David Howard said the team put a “zero-tolerance” clause in their new manager’s contract in order to protect the organization from any further transgressions and possible embarrassment.

That all sounds good and all, but is it really needed? The team did the right thing here by hiring Backman, a man who paid his price and ready to continue his career. But frankly it was long overdue.

This is not an indictment of the Mets, rather one of all affiliated baseball, which is filled with men of low moral character. With so many stars caught for steroid abuse and others – at least in the past – getting off basically scott free for drug abuse and digressions, why was Backman the one to be punished for his problems.

Backman, by his own admission, is a very flawed man, who encountered many off the field problems a decade ago. But does that make himself any different than Alex Rodriguez or Manny Ramirez, who were caught doing steroids? Or even fellow teammates Ron Darling and Darryl Strawberry with their reported problems with the IRS?

The only difference was that Backman was punished for his sins, which is not just unfair, but flat out wrong. Even with his problems, he still proved himself to be one hell of a manager, with a burning desire to win at all costs.

“We took winning and losing personally,” Backman said about the 1986 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.”

And that’s what the Mets hope for the Cyclones, one of their more important affiliates. The club always wants a winning franchise in Coney Island, and Backman pretty much assures that team will be competitive. Yet, this move should have happened a long time ago – again not just by the Mets, but throughout all of baseball.

Backman paid too long of a price for his sins. Now it’s time for him to take the first step on the rest of his career.