BACKMAN HIRED BY JETHAWKS.Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer LANCASTER - Less than a week after Eddie Rodriguez's abrupt resignation, the JetHawks announced the hiring of former major-league infielder Wally Backman Backman, 44, becomes the team's fifth manager in less than two years. Rodriguez was hired in November 2003, but never performed any managerial duties. Instead, Rodriguez left the JetHawks' parent organization Arizona Diamondbacks This article is about the baseball team. For other uses, see Diamondback. The Arizona Diamondbacks (also referred to as the D-backs) are a Major League Baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They play in the West Division of the National League. to become the Montreal Expos' major-league bench coach. Backman had just finished managing winter ball in Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (pwār`tō rē`kō), island (2005 est. pop. 3,917,000), 3,508 sq mi (9,086 sq km), West Indies, c.1,000 mi (1,610 km) SE of Miami, Fla. when he learned that the Diamondbacks needed a manager for their advanced Single-A affiliate in Lancaster. ``I'm excited,'' Backman said. ``I spoke with (farm director) Tommy (Jones) and he told me that we are going to have several top prospects on that team.'' Backman would not identify potential prospects who might be coming to Lancaster. But first-round draft picks Conor Jackson Conor Sims Jackson (nicknamed Co-Jack or Action) was born May 7, 1982 in Austin, Texas. He is a first baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He bats right handed and throws right handed. He is 6'2" and roughly 225 pounds. and Carlos Quentin Carlos Quentin (born August 28, 1982 in Bellflower, California, is an outfielder who plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks. School years Quentin attended Saint Pius X Elementary School (Chula Vista, California), and later, University of San Diego High School (San Diego, , both outfielders, are regarded as likely candidates to start the season in Lancaster. A 1977 first-round draft selection (16th overall) of the New York Mets
Backman comes to the Diamondbacks from the Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are a professional baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the White Sox have played in U.S. , where he spent three years as a minor-league manager, including two with the Double-A Birmingham (Ala.) Barons. He was a combined 152-125 at Birmingham and was named the Southern League's top managerial prospect by Baseball America  This article or section is written like an .Please help [ rewrite this article] from a neutral point of view. Mark blatant advertising for , using . in 2002 after leading the Barons to a league championship. Backman's managerial career began in Independent ball, where he spent four years, highlighted by a 2000 season with the Tri City (Pasco-Kennewick-Richland, Wash.) Posse, when his team won the Western League title. Backman attributes the success he's had as a manager to communicating well with players, something he said he learned from several former major-league managers for whom he played, including Jim Leyland. ``You have to have the talent, but communicating with players is also very important,'' Backman said. ``It's important that players know what their roles are going to be for spring training. That seemed to make a big difference.'' Gideon Rubin (818) 713-3607 gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: WALLY BACKMAN He spent parts of 14 seasons in the big leagues with five teams. |
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