Mets won’t bring Wally Backman back next year

Wally Backman won’t be back with the Mets’ organization next year. According to Mike Puma of the Post, he was fired today, and the Mets cited his failure to use Brandon Nimmo in the leadoff spot and play Michael Conforto against lefties. Puma also reports that Backman would have been fired three years ago if Jeff Wilpon hadn’t intervened.

Marc Carig of Newsday says that Backman had been a “long-simmering source of tension” in the Mets’ play development ranks. He adds that “a pattern of defiance” was a factor in his firing.

Backman had been managing in the Mets’ minor league system since the Mets hired him to manage the Brooklyn Cyclones following the 2009 season. He moved up the minor league ranks from there and had managed the Las Vegas 51s since 2013. When the Mets made a managerial change a few years ago after firing Jerry Manuel as their major league manager, Backman was a candidate to take his place, but the Mets hired Terry Collins for the job.