JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: VIDEOTAPE FROM FAN COULD AID BACKMAN'S APPEAL.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

LANCASTER - On the eve of Tuesday's scheduled meeting between JetHawks manager Wally Backman and top-level baseball officials to discuss an incident for which he received a 10-game suspension and was fined by the California League, a videotape supporting his version of the events surfaced.

Backman was to meet with National Association of Baseball Leagues president Mike Moore on Tuesday night in Florida.

The videotape, submitted Monday by an unidentified JetHawks fan to the team's receptionist, appears to contradicts several aspects of a report issued by umpires Chris Bakke and Scott Jarred. That report was the basis for the league's disciplinary action against Backman.

The videotape, which was viewed by the Daily News, shows Backman sprinting across the infield and forcefully bumping field umpire Bakke in the seventh inning of an Aug. 24 game against the San Jose Giants.

The report, however, states that Backman ``palms open, violently pushed (home plate umpire Jarred) back several steps'' after Bakke ejected Backman from his field position near second base, and that he ``billed'' Bakke with his baseball cap.

The videotape shows Backman pushing off a stationary Jarred as he ran toward Bakke and shows Backman's cap being knocked off his head by Bakke's cap bill as Backman turned his head upward to get into the umpire's face.

Backman was expected to be accompanied by Bob Miller, the assistant general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks, in Tuesday's meeting, which was scheduled in lieu of a written statement Moore said Backman could have submitted instead of taking a plane to Florida.

Backman acknowledged that the timing of the tape's emergence could not have been better for him.

``Absolutely,'' Backman said. ``The tape that one of the fans had makes me feel good about this meeting.''

However, the videotape does not prove or disprove another serious allegation in the umpires' report, that Backman threatened Bakke with physical violence.

Backman vehemently denied the allegation, and said the videotape undermines umpires' credibility.

Their credibility also will be called into question regarding their depiction of an incident later in the game.

JetHawks outfielder Reggie Abercrombie was suspended for three games and fined an unspecified amount for allegedly inciting ``on-field violence'' by making an obscene gesture in the direction of the Giants dugout that led to a bench-clearing incident. No physical contact between the two teams occurred and no ejections were handed out.

``(The umpires) will lose credibility when (the National Association) sees this tape,'' Backman said. ``I think it proves that (the umpires) fabricated the report.''

--Negotiations: JetHawks general manager Brad Seymour will meet with three area business leaders this week for the purpose of negotiating a naming rights deal for Lancaster Municipal Stadium.

Seymour, who's already received the city of Lancaster's blessing to pursue a deal, is seeking a 10-year deal, with potential revenues to be split evenly between the city and franchise.

Seymour confirmed that the JetHawks have set an asking price, but is not ready to release the amount publicly.

Seymour said he plans to meet with several major aerospace industry representatives for the purpose of negotiating a deal. He has left messages with Boeing, one of the area's largest employers, but has not yet scheduled a meeting with company officials.

Seymour said city officials told him Boeing had been interested in a potential naming rights deal with the JetHawks in the early years of the franchise's existence, but that talks fell through.

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com