(Long Island, N.Y.) One of the goalposts stood where home plate usually is and foul territory on both sides was taken by benches, but this was certainly still Yankee Stadium. The South Bronx was transformed into South Bend, Indiana for one late November evening as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish was the ‘home’ team in their latest battle with Army.

In the latest chapter of their storied rivalry, the Irish prevailed 27-3, but that was only part of it. Having college football back in one of the sport’s original dens for it was the main focus.

“New York is a lot of things,” Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelley said. “What it was tonight was a college football town.”

The new Yankee Stadium made its predecessor proud by being a gracious host. The original ‘House That Ruth Built’ was the location for many a great collegiate gridiron contest and both clubs that kicked off the new building’s football schedule started it off on the right foot.

“A night like tonight reinforces our goal of continuously bringing memorable, meaningful events to Yankee Stadium and the Bronx throughout the years to come,” Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner said in a statement. “We want to thank and commend Notre Dame and Army for their dedication and desire in bringing a historic night of football to Yankee Stadium. We can think of no two finer educational institutions to christen our new home with the great game of football.

“Their impact on the landscape of our nation – scholastically, athletically, and through service – cannot be overstated enough.”

Having the Army cadet section in the left field bleachers and the Notre Dame Marching Band take the field during halftime gave this night a feel for the nostalgic. “That was electric,” Army head coach Rich Ellerson said. “Our guys were excited to play. That makes it even more painful that we didn’t put our best foot forward.”

At the outset, it appeared that Army was going to be successful. Donovan Travis intercepted a tipped pass in the end zone during Notre Dame’s opening drive and the Black Knights took over on offense. They moved the ball down the field but stalled after gaining a first-and-goal. A 20-yard field goal put Army up 3-0, and it was their last points of the evening. “It was absolutely crucial that our defense came up big in the red zone,” Kelley said. “We haven’t given up a touchdown in the month. You don’t do that by accident.”

The Irish defense paved the way for their offense to take the lead and win. Freshman quarterback Tommy Rees found tight end Tyler Eifert on three big pass plays, one for a touchdown and another for an apparent score which was overturned to him being down at the 1-yard line.

When it was all said and done, a sea of green and gold prevailed and sent the vast majority of the sellout crowd of 54,251 home happy. For anyone who missed out on the game, December 30 and the annual Pinstripe Bowl is right around the corner.

So the goalposts and benches will stay right where they are for a little while longer.

(Long Island, N.Y.) For an organization that expects to qualify for the postseason every year, missing out on two separate chances is an alarming occurrence. The Long Island Ducks failed to win the division in either half in 2010 and manager Dave LaPoint paid for it with his job.

Known as ‘Pointer,’ the former Yankee pitcher had spent three years as Ducks manager (2007, 2008, 2010) and served on the coaching staff prior to that. He also spent a campaign as the field boss of the Bridgeport Bluefish and earned the 2006 Atlantic League Manager of the Year Award.

“We appreciate Dave’s efforts and professionalism during his years as a Duck,” said general manager Michael Pfaff. “At this time, however, we thought it best for the organization to move in a new direction.”

That direction led to Kevin Baez, the former Duck player and coach. “I’m thrilled to have this opportunity,” he said. “The fans of Long Island can look forward to seeing a strong ballclub on the field next year.”

This will be Baez’s seventh year with the Ducks, and he also played for the Mets. The former infielder played a total of 63 games in the major leagues and 1,750 in the minors.

LaPoint will be missed and was very popular with the fans of Suffolk County. His career managerial record on Long Island was 213-191, but he was 0-4 in the postseason. The Ducks were a playoff team from 2004 to 2009 and had four first place finishes during that span. This is a team that expects to win – year in and year out. Even someone as beloved as LaPoint is expendable when it comes to making a move with a return to the playoffs in mind.

The Ducks have been a team of continuity since their inaugural season in 2000 when Buddy Harrelson managed them. Don McCormack was on the staff and was named manager as Harrelson – also a part owner of the team – took over first base coaching duties at home games. ‘Mac’ remained as field boss for five years and was in charge during the Ducks’ only championship in 2004. LaPoint was his pitching coach since 2002 for four seasons before he took over in Connecticut. In 2007, LaPoint returned to Long Island as manager and McCormack stayed on as bench coach. LaPoint remained with the team when Gary Carter was named manager in 2009 and then was promoted again a year later. That trend continues with the naming of Baez.

The Ducks have led the Atlantic League in attendance 11 consecutive seasons and regardless of who gets the job, they should be able to continue that trend. The Suffolk County Sports Park (formerly EAB and Citibank Park) is at or over capacity most games and the fans have been supportive of everyone who puts on the uniform. But it is still a business and winning is a major part of it being a successful one.

There have been too many dates to count where the Ducks are over their seating capacity of 6,002. On July 3, 2009, they set a team attendance record when 7,308 fans witnessed a 12-5 win over Bridgeport.

Hopefully Beaz will experience successful times such as that more often than not.

(Long Island, N.Y.) The team may have finished short of their goal and failed to defend their 2009 World Series championship, but the New York Yankees have dominated the offseason awards. This past week, three players were honored (and one on two separate occasions) with the Rawlings Gold Glove and Louisville Silver Slugger award announcements.

They are the first team in a decade to have an infield with at least three Gold Glovers. First baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Robinson Cano and shortstop Derek Jeter all were honored and follow the 2000 Cleveland Indians trio of Roberto Alomar (2B), Omar Vizquel (SS) and Travis Fryman (3B).

Cano was the only one who has never been honored by Rawlings before and realizes the importance of it all. “Winning the Gold Glove Award along with my teammates Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter is an honor,” he said in a statement. “It’s a great feeling to be recognized by managers and coaches for my defensive skills. This is an award I’ve worked for since becoming a Major Leaguer and will continue to do so each season.” Bobby Richardson was the only other Yankee second baseman to win the award, doing so in five straight years (1961 to 1965).

Winning these awards has become old hat for Teixeira and Jeter, who have amassed nine combined throughout their storied careers. As for ‘Tex,’ he became the first Bronx Bomber first basemen to become a repeat winner since Don Mattingly, who won it four consecutive times from 1991 to 1994. “As a player who works very hard on defense, it is an honor to win my fourth Gold Glove,” Teixeira said in a statement. “I am blessed to play with great teammates, and it’s special to share this achievement with Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter.”

Speaking of the Yankee captain, Jeter led MLB with a .989 fielding percentage and committed only six errors, both career bests. “It is a tremendous honor to receive the Gold Glove Award, especially since this recognition comes from managers and coaches for whom I have a great deal of respect,” Jeter – who won his fifth – said in a statement. “It is particularly gratifying to be recognized for defense, as it is something I take a lot of pride in and am constantly working to improve.”

A day later, Cano won the second Silver Slugger Award of his career, also taking home the metal bat in 2006. Eight previous Yankees have won the award more than once, but never one of their second baseman. Cano also became the eighth American League second baseman to win both the Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Award in the same season.

While they may have to wait another year to go for their 28th championship, the Yankees have the pieces in place to make another good run of it. Cano, Teixeira and Jeter may have been the three honored, but as a team, the Yankees led the majors with a .988 fielding percentage and committed league-low 69 errors.

(Long Island, N.Y.) With both teams a combined 10-3 and on respective five and four game winning streaks, Jets and Giants fans began to dream a little. Although it was only October, they began to dare speak of the first ‘Subway Super Bowl.’ Just imagine what it would be like next February if they represented the AFC and NFC in the big game in Texas at Cowboys Stadium?

Then the Jets were shut out at home by the Green Bay Packers on Halloween, 9-0.

At least the Giants (5-2) didn’t have to worry about not holding up their end of the bargain due to the bye week. But the Jets, also 5-2, just came off theirs and played as if on a short week instead of an extended one. Getting some of the walking wounded an extra week of rest should have helped, but the outcome did not seem that way.

“We were fresher and healthier than we’ve ever been, we just never got it done,” said Jets head coach Rex Ryan. “We certainly were ready to play on defense. I thought we were ready to play on offense, but it never worked out that way.”

What is troubling about the Jets is that they have not played exceptionally well of late, and not just in this loss. Three weeks ago at the New Meadowlands, they allowed Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings to claw back in the game, but held on for a close win only after the former Jet quarterback threw an untimely late pick. Then the following Sunday at Denver, the Jets had to have a miracle finish to come back and beat the hapless Broncos. Ryan realizes the importance of dropping games like the most recent.

“Obviously, Green Bay is one of the top teams in the NFC, but they’re playing at our place, and we have to win those games. I don’t care who we play – if you play at our place, we should win. That was disappointing.”

While Ryan’s bunch has been talking Super Bowl since training camp, the Giants have been more subdued in their predictions. They just take it week-to-week in a workman style environment with Tom Coughlin leading the way. The veteran head coach realizes that even when you’re playing well, getting back to work after the bye is something that is a concern.

“That’s always the challenge, not just to come back where you were, but to come back and escalate the quality of your performance, lift your game to another level, which is the constant message, which is always about our team, not necessarily the other team, but about our team so that [we] can keep getting better on all phases.”

The Jets have a winnable but tricky game this Sunday at Detroit. The Lions have played much better this season and are coming off a 37-25 win against Washington, so taking them lightly may come back to bite Gang Green. As for the G-Men, they are headed up to Seattle to face the first place Seahawks, who are coming off a 30-point loss to Oakland.

Let’s get through Thanksgiving before bringing the Super Bowl back up for either of our two teams.

(Long Island, N.Y.) Anything short of a 28th World Series title this season was viewed as a failure to the New York Yankees, but there were many positives to take away from it. Making the playoffs again and outlasting two quality teams in their own division (Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox) is nothing to be ashamed of and the Texas Rangers, who defeated the Bronx Bombers in the American League Championship Series four games to two, are certainly no slouches.

Just as every other team, the Yankees will look to improve in the offseason. There are a few in-house questions to answer before looking outside the organization and once they are addressed, then the addition of an impact player such as lefthanded starter Cliff Lee can be broached.

Joe Girardi

The Yankee manager was the first one to be brought back. General manager Brian Cashman wanted him here and there is some unfinished business to tend to. Girardi, 46, received a three-year deal for approximately $9 million and he has led the Yanks to a 287-199 (.591 winning percentage) mark since 2008. There had been some speculation that the Peoria, Illinois native may entertain an offer from the Chicago Cubs (whom he played for from 1989 to 1992 and 2000 to 2002) but they made their managerial hire before the Yankees were knocked out of the playoffs.

Derek Jeter

The captain may expect superstar money but he is starting to slow down and his stats do not command a raise. This past season, he hit .270 with 10 home runs and 67 RBI. Jeter is the epitome of a team player and brings so many intangibles to the table that does not show up in the scorecard, but he has to be reasonable. Even the Yankees have a budget and need to address other positions, so Jeter cannot expect to tie up too much money in an overpaid long-term deal.

Jeter in another uniform? Don’t count on it. He will be where he has been for the past 15 years come Opening Day.

Mariano Rivera

When Joba Chamberlain faltered in the role, Kerry Wood was brought in via trade to be the set-up man. The former starter and closer excelled and was an important part of the September run. Expect Wood to get a good deal on the open market as a closer, so Cashman has to make a decision here. Does he give up on Chamberlain and move him? Can either David Robertson or Boone Logan step into the eighth inning spot? None of it matters unless Rivera is warming up.

Corner Outfield

Brett Gardner and Nick Swisher are serviceable and did their jobs, but neither is close to superstar status in a town used to it. Carl Crawford (Rays) and Jason Werth (Phillies) are free agents and will not come cheaply, so Cashman has to weigh their value. Crawford is a sparkplug and is a terror on the base paths while Werth has some pop and could be on the threshold of stardom.

However this plays out, the Yankees will certainly make a big play for Lee, who they thought they had before the trading deadline only to have the Seattle Mariners nix the deal for a better one from Texas. But Jeter and Rivera need to be locked in before the Lee courtship begins.

(Long Island, N.Y.) You know that things are going your way when your quarterback has his worst game of the season and the team still steals a win, on the road no less. With the Jets riding a four-game winning streak and Mark Sanchez having thrown zero interceptions thus far, the New York Jets headed into Denver last Sunday looking to maintain the top spot in the AFC East.

The ominous start by Sanchez – including a pick on only his third pass of the game – set the tone for the first 58 minutes of the contest. The Broncos failed to take advantage of a second INT and a number of near-interceptions, allowing the Jets to mount a comeback and walk out of the stadium with a 24-20 improbable win.

“We made a ton of mistakes on a short week, a tough place to play and all that kind of stuff, yet we never gave up,” said head coach Rex Ryan. “We just thought it was our day, anyway. I think that’s the big thing, the type of mentality that we have. The biggest thing that I see is the confidence that we have in each other, but also how hard we play.

“We made a bunch of mistakes, but we were all out,” he continued. “Our guys, they sold out for each other, and that’s the way the New York Jets play. I think that’s why we ended up winning the game.”

It came down to a 40-plus yard pass interference penalty with under two minutes remaining, to be more exact. The Jets had been getting the short end of the stick all day long with questionable calls but the officials made the right decision by throwing the yellow flag on a desperation heave by Sanchez to wide receiver Santonio Holmes at the two-yard line. Running back LaDanian Tomlinson scored his second touchdown on the day the very next play to finish off the Broncos and send the Jets home happy.

With a league-best 5-1 record, the Jets head into their bye week with whispers of being the top team in the NFL. Sure, there is a long way to go, but Ryan is enjoying the moment. “5-1 is good enough to be in first place, and have the best record in football, so absolutely, it’s hard to say that we’re not the best team in the league,” the second-year coach said. “I still think we’re at a certain level right now where our record says we’re the best team in the league, but I think this team can really improve and really improve in all aspects.”

Getting an extra week of rest for Darrelle Revis and Calvin Pace will definitely result in more improvements as a team and that can only bode well for the Jets and their fans. For a team that went all the way to the AFC Championship Game a year ago, they have made it perfectly clear that anything less than a Super Bowl championship would be a disappointment.

“We’re on a mission,” concluded Ryan. “We know what we want to accomplish as a football team and we’re doing everything in our power to get better each week.”

(Long Island, N.Y.) Following their week three 29-10 home loss to the Tennessee Titans, the wheels seemed to be coming off the Giants’ wagon. They may have taken care of the hapless Carolina Panthers in the season opener, but Big Blue was on the wrong end of two lopsided scores after that. Reaching such a crossroads before a month was out could have gotten out of hand for Tom Coughlin, but he managed to hold things together.

A win in each of the last two weeks has given the Giants new life and they find themselves tied with the Washington Redskins atop the NFC East, a position that they could not have dreamed of being in not too long ago.

“It’s good to get on a win streak,” quarterback Eli Manning said. “The past few years, we’d have a good streak going where we’d get a few in a row and hopefully we can keep that going. We’ve got to be focused, keep grinding and playing good football.

“Our defense is playing outstanding,” he continued. “Our offense did a great job getting an early lead (in the 34-10 win at Houston); especially against an explosive offense that runs the ball about as well as anybody.”

Reflecting on the victory over the previous 3-1 Texans, Coughlin said, “I hope it’s an indication. We talked about having to play better; we talked about having to improve. We talked about [it] being a very important game, that we did rise in our performance. We did show the quality of our team in all three phases (offense, defense, special teams), the way we might be able to operate together.

“So hopefully we’re in that direction.”

They appear to be but have yet to play a divisional game, and they will have to wait until October 25th to do so. The Giants host the Detroit Lions on Sunday before heading to Dallas to face the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Trap game? Not to the Giants.

When Manning was asked if they are looking ahead to the Cowboys, he said without hesitation, “No, not at all. This is a big game for us.”

The Lions may be 1-4, but they have a plus as far as points scored (126) versus points against (112). Besides the game against Minnesota, they have been right there in every contest and routed St. Louis last week, 44-6. Quarterback Shaun Hill (who took over for the injured Matthew Stafford) went 21-for-32 for 227 yards and three touchdowns and Stefan Logan had a 105-yard kickoff return for another score against the Rams. This is a team that has been much improved from last year and now has to learn to win. The G-Men would like to stand in their way.

“Every game they have played has come down to the fourth quarter,” Manning said of the Lions. “They’re very talented and offensively they have playmakers. We have our hands full.”

If the Giants play the way they have been, they will walk away with a win they should have and maintain their share of first place in the division. Quite a difference from three weeks ago.

(Long Island, N.Y.) The first day of the off-season was more productive than six full months of the regular season were for the New York Mets. By bidding farewell to manager Jerry Manuel and general manager Omar Minaya, the first move in a winter that should be very active was made, more out of necessity than strategy.

This team has not showed any character, leadership or a killer instinct in quite some time. Many feel that they saw their best chance at a championship go by them with the Adam Wainright curveball that Carlos Beltran looked at for the last out in Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series versus the St. Louis Cardinals.

Since then, the Mets have had two monumental September collapses and two irrelevant seasons of sub-mediocre play. Ownership finally took notice and began chopping heads on Monday.

“Our family has owned the New York Mets for a very long time,” CEO Fred Wilpon said at a press conference held at Citi Field. “We’ve had a lot of good years and too many poor years. That’s painful. But I must say that the last four years have been the most painful to me.”

That may sound encouraging from the outside, but before you could catch your breath, it was also known through a source that the team intends on retaining the majority of their coaching staff. Never mind that the incoming GM and field boss may think differently. This is the Mets and they do things their own way.

By making it known that they want hitting coach Howard Johnson, pitching coach Dan Warthen, third base coach Chip Hale and bullpen coach Randy Niemann back in some capacity, the Wilpons are tying their future employees hands before they are even hired.

Fred Wilpon also said that although anything can happen, he fully expects third baseman David Wright and shortstop Jose Reyes to return and still be the main pieces in the core – the same core that has played listless baseball for four years and counting.

So if you’re the new GM or manager, you are coming in to a job that has four members of the coaching staff and two high-priced but not clutch players waiting for you. Both Wright and Reyes have shown that they are anything but clubhouse leaders on a team begging for one. Reyes, if he is to gain any respect around the league, needs to learn how to play with pain. A tweaked oblique had him shelved for an amount of time that other players wouldn’t miss with much more severe injuries. When he is in the lineup, Reyes’ approach to hitting leaves a lot to be desired. He is very aggressive to a fault at times, especially when a pitcher is wild and has walked a batter or two. Put the house on him swinging at the first pitch, regardless of the location.

And Wright may finish with fairly impressive numbers, but does not hit when it is needed most if you watch the Mets game by game. Throw a low and outside off-speed pitch to him with two strikes and you can pretty much bet that Wright will weakly wave at the ball in the dirt instead of laying off.

Whoever is hired will be an improvement from the previous two men. A change was needed long ago, but better late than never. If the Mets can keep up their successful offseason, things may look bright come springtime after all.

But it all will be for naught if ownership does not sit back and let the baseball people do their jobs.

(Long Island, N.Y.) Imposingly standing at five feet high, seven feet wide and weighing 760 pounds, the bronze plaque that was unveiled recently for George M. Steinbrenner in Monument Park at the New Yankee Stadium is literally a huge honor. It actually dwarfs the others present, including the plaques of all-time great Yankees Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle.

The Boss would have been honored. There had been only six monuments at the location – the four players, manager Miller Huggins and one to honor the victims of September 11, 2001. There are also 24 plaques on display honoring many, from players to papal visits.

“Our father always believed that this organization was an extension of his family and he felt our fans were the heartbeat and soul of this baseball team,” the Steinbrenner family said in a statement. “His unrelenting vision and passion for success was unmatched and we are humbled that his likeness will forever greet the people he cared so much about.”

It was only on July 13 that Steinbrenner passed away at the age of 80. The team is wearing commemorative patches for their former owner throughout the remainder of the season and now Steinbrenner has been given the ultimate compliment with the addition beyond the outfield fences in the Bronx.

Part of the plaque reads, “A true visionary who changed the game of baseball forever. He was considered the most influential owner in all of sports. In 37 years as principal owner, the Yankees posted a major league-best .566 winning percentage, while winning 11 American League pennants and seven World Series titles, becoming the most recognizable sports brand in the world.”

Any criticism pointed towards the immense size of Steinbrenner’s monument is way off base. When he purchased the Yankees in 1973, this was an organization in dire need of fierce leadership and a wake-up call. The Boss provided both and within three years the Bronx Bombers were again representing the ‘junior circuit’ in the Fall Classic.

He was also the owner when the original Yankee Stadium went under construction and was updated, and most important, built the new $1.6 billion stadium. To keep the Yankee tradition carrying on, Steinbrenner ensured that Monument Park would be even better once it was moved across the street. This is a man who always spoke of wearing the pinstripes with pride. Steinbrenner was and still is the Yankees. If there ever was someone deserving of such a monument, it is The Boss. The tabloids always said that Steinbrenner was larger than life. Nothing has changed in his death.

Mets Will Benefit From Either Valentine or Backman as Manager

(Long Island, N.Y.) Regardless of who eventually replaces Jerry Manuel as manager of the New York Mets, it will be a breath of fresh air. After two and a half seasons, it is time to go for the current field boss and two favorites for the job will conjure up nostalgic memories of Met teams who did not collapse in September.

Both Bobby Valentine and Wally Backman are associated with success in Queens and are also loved by the fans. For an organization in serious need of some positive PR, deciding on the fate of Manuel and his replacement sooner than later would be a smart move.

Valentine was welcome in his first stint as Met manager from his playing days with the club. Back then, he was more known for his championship in the Bubble Yum bubble-blowing contests than on the baseball diamond. The Mets were perennial losers at the time, but Bobby V returned to Shea Stadium two decades later and turned things around.

He led them to the playoffs in 1999 and 2000, even reaching the World Series in the latter. The five-game loss to the Yankees notwithstanding, that was a magical year for the Mets and their fans have never forgotten that.

After being a national hero in Japan, Valentine has come back to America, is currently working at ESPN and still interested in managing. He seemed all set to go to Florida, but decided against it. Speculation arose that he was holding out for the Mets job and once the team fell out of contention, it was apparent that there would in fact be a job opening in Flushing.

Backman returned to the organization and added to his resume a playoff berth for the Brooklyn Cyclones this summer. The second baseman on the 1986 World Series championship team has always endeared himself to the fans by playing a hard-nosed style of baseball and he definitely brought along that attitude to the Single-A affiliate.

His legal issues and firing as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ manager after a few days seems like ancient history and should not be a factor in the Mets’ decision. This is an organization that is always worried about public perception and has historically stayed away from personnel moves that may bring along some negative attention, but the Wilpons need to think outside the box here.

The smarter move here would be to hire Backman. The Mets are obviously in some type of rebuilding mode and have elected to go with youth for the most part, so to bring in a veteran manager like Valentine may not work. He was able to win the first time around with a mixture of youngsters and a few vets, but the make-up of the current Mets is much different from their counterparts of the late 1990s. There are no team leaders present in the clubhouse and there was an abundance back then. That is a huge difference and one that should not be overlooked.

Bringing Backman in would be a move more geared for the future and he can grow with them in his first real major league managerial job. Plus, he would come a whole lot cheaper than Valentine. And for a team looking to cut payroll and save money, that part of the decision will come into play.

It is definitively time for the Mets and Manuel to part ways and it is a foregone conclusion that he will be let go as soon as the season commences. If the Mets keep the short list to the aforementioned two, they really can’t go wrong.

Mets Will Benefit From Either Valentine or Backman as Manager

(Long Island, N.Y.) Regardless of who eventually replaces Jerry Manuel as manager of the New York Mets, it will be a breath of fresh air. After two and a half seasons, it is time to go for the current field boss and two favorites for the job will conjure up nostalgic memories of Met teams who did not collapse in September.

Both Bobby Valentine and Wally Backman are associated with success in Queens and are also loved by the fans. For an organization in serious need of some positive PR, deciding on the fate of Manuel and his replacement sooner than later would be a smart move.

Valentine was welcome in his first stint as Met manager from his playing days with the club. Back then, he was more known for his championship in the Bubble Yum bubble-blowing contests than on the baseball diamond. The Mets were perennial losers at the time, but Bobby V returned to Shea Stadium two decades later and turned things around.

He led them to the playoffs in 1999 and 2000, even reaching the World Series in the latter. The five-game loss to the Yankees notwithstanding, that was a magical year for the Mets and their fans have never forgotten that.

After being a national hero in Japan, Valentine has come back to America, is currently working at ESPN and still interested in managing. He seemed all set to go to Florida, but decided against it. Speculation arose that he was holding out for the Mets job and once the team fell out of contention, it was apparent that there would in fact be a job opening in Flushing.

Backman returned to the organization and added to his resume a playoff berth for the Brooklyn Cyclones this summer. The second baseman on the 1986 World Series championship team has always endeared himself to the fans by playing a hard-nosed style of baseball and he definitely brought along that attitude to the Single-A affiliate.

His legal issues and firing as the Arizona Diamondbacks’ manager after a few days seems like ancient history and should not be a factor in the Mets’ decision. This is an organization that is always worried about public perception and has historically stayed away from personnel moves that may bring along some negative attention, but the Wilpons need to think outside the box here.

The smarter move here would be to hire Backman. The Mets are obviously in some type of rebuilding mode and have elected to go with youth for the most part, so to bring in a veteran manager like Valentine may not work. He was able to win the first time around with a mixture of youngsters and a few vets, but the make-up of the current Mets is much different from their counterparts of the late 1990s. There are no team leaders present in the clubhouse and there was an abundance back then. That is a huge difference and one that should not be overlooked.

Bringing Backman in would be a move more geared for the future and he can grow with them in his first real major league managerial job. Plus, he would come a whole lot cheaper than Valentine. And for a team looking to cut payroll and save money, that part of the decision will come into play.

It is definitively time for the Mets and Manuel to part ways and it is a foregone conclusion that he will be let go as soon as the season commences. If the Mets keep the short list to the aforementioned two, they really can’t go wrong.