BACKMAN HONORED.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - Wally Backman

Walter 'Wally' Wayne Backman (born September 22, 1959 in Hillsboro, Oregon) is a retired baseball player. Backman spent his 14 season career with the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners. , who guided the JetHawks to first- and second-half titles in the California League The California League is a minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth despite a drastic roster shake up at midseason, was named Thursday as The Sporting News' minor league manager of the year.

Backman, in his first season with the Single-A club of the 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. , leads the JetHawks into a best-of-5 divisional championship series beginning Saturday at Lancaster Municipal Stadium against the winner of the Inland Empire-Rancho Cucamonga playoff play·off also play-off
n. Sports
1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie.

2. A series of games played to determine a championship.

Noun 1. series.

``It's nice to know that somebody takes notice of some of the things that you do,'' Backman said. ``It's nice that people are seeing the accomplishments. You still have to have the players, but the fact that I've been fortunate enough to be able to develop players and make them better is an accomplishment.''

Although he lost the Cal League's manager of the year voting to Modesto's Von Hayes

Von Francis Hayes (born August 31, 1958 in Stockton, California) was a Major League Baseball player from 1981 to 1992 for the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, and California Angels. , Backman continues to improve his credentials for a future major-league job.

Backman was named Baseball America's top Southern League managerial prospect in 2002 while at Double-A Birmingham (Ala.). He also was named this year's top managing prospect in the Cal League.

Gideon Rubin (818) 713-3607

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com

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Title Annotation:	Sports
Publication:	Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:	Sep 10, 2004
Words:	199
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