Wally Backman, baseball player, 1980-1993

Wally Backman

Born: 9/22/1959 in Hillsboro, OR, USA

MLB Debut: 1980-09-02 | Final Game: 1993-05-14

Bats: B | Throws: R | Height: 5'9" | Weight: 160 lbs

Full name: Walter Wayne Backman

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Biography

Wally Backman was a professional baseball player born in 1959, who made significant contributions to Major League Baseball during his career from 1980 to 1993. Known for his versatility and tenacity, Backman played primarily as an infielder and was recognized for his scrappy playing style, which exemplified the gritty approach of the era. Over the course of his 13-year career, he appeared in 1,102 games, compiling a batting average of .275 with 893 hits, 10 home runs, and 240 RBIs. His speed on the bases was notable, as he stole 117 bases, showcasing a blend of agility and baseball intelligence that made him a valuable asset to his teams. Backman's career was highlighted by his time with the New York Mets, where he played a pivotal role in the team's success during the mid-1980s, including their memorable 1986 World Series championship. His contributions were not only measured by statistics but also by his leadership and competitive spirit, which resonated with fans and teammates alike. After his playing days, Backman transitioned into coaching and managing, further influencing the game and sharing his extensive knowledge of baseball with younger players. Backman's legacy remains tied to the era of hard-nosed baseball, where grit and determination were as celebrated as raw talent.

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
1102 3245 482 893 138 19 10 240 117 371 480 0.275 0.349 0.339 0.687 -384.3

Career AVG .275 vs. league average .259 across their career seasons — +6.3% above league average.

Career OBP .349 vs. league average .324 across their career seasons — +7.5% above league average.

Career SLG .339 vs. league average .388 across their career seasons — 12.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.687 vs. league average 0.712 across their career seasons — near league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1980 NYN NL 27 93 12 30 1 1 0 9 2 11 14 0.323 .264 (+22%) .326 (+21%) .387 (-8%) .714 (+5%) 135.1
1981 NYN NL 26 36 5 10 2 0 0 0 1 4 7 0.278 — — — — 0.0
1982 NYN NL 96 261 37 71 13 2 3 22 8 49 47 0.272 .261 (+4%) .324 (+19%) .388 (-4%) .712 (+6%) 534.8
1983 NYN NL 26 42 6 7 0 1 0 3 0 2 8 0.167 — — — — 0.0
1984 NYN NL 128 436 68 122 19 2 1 26 32 56 63 0.280 .259 (+8%) .322 (+12%) .384 (-12%) .707 (-1%) 128.0
1985 NYN NL 145 520 77 142 24 5 1 38 30 36 72 0.273 .257 (+6%) .323 (-1%) .390 (-12%) .714 (-7%) -734.3
1986 NYN NL 124 387 67 124 18 2 1 27 13 36 32 0.320 .257 (+24%) .325 (+15%) .395 (-3%) .720 (+5%) 513.6
1987 NYN NL 94 300 43 75 6 1 1 23 11 25 43 0.250 .262 (-5%) .331 (-7%) .415 (-31%) .746 (-21%) -1112.7
1988 NYN NL 99 294 44 89 12 0 0 17 9 41 49 0.303 .254 (+19%) .317 (+22%) .377 (-9%) .695 (+5%) 494.9
1989 MIN AL 87 299 33 69 9 2 1 26 1 32 45 0.231 .254 (-9%) .319 (-4%) .375 (-24%) .694 (-15%) -723.1
1990 PIT NL 104 315 62 92 21 3 2 28 6 42 53 0.292 .257 (+13%) .324 (+15%) .385 (+3%) .710 (+9%) 602.4
1991 PHI NL 94 185 20 45 12 0 0 15 3 30 30 0.243 .255 (-5%) .323 (+6%) .384 (-20%) .708 (-8%) -186.3
1992 PHI NL 42 48 6 13 1 0 0 6 1 6 9 0.271 — — — — -36.6
1993 SEA AL 10 29 2 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 8 0.138 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
22 68 12 18 2 0 0 5 8 14 0.265

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1990 NLCS PIT 3 7 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 3 0.143
1988 NLCS NYN 7 22 2 6 1 0 0 2 2 5 0.273
1986 NLCS NYN 6 21 5 5 0 0 0 2 2 4 0.238
1986 WS NYN 6 18 4 6 0 0 0 1 3 2 0.333

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
2B 826 697 1405 1953 69 383
3B 111 99 51 155 21 6
SS 18 10 20 24 1 5

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1980 NYN 2B 20 18 48 43 0 7
1980 NYN SS 8 8 14 12 1 4
1981 NYN 2B 11 5 14 21 2 2
1981 NYN 3B 1 0 0 0 0 0
1982 NYN 2B 88 69 169 202 14 30
1982 NYN 3B 6 4 4 7 2 0
1982 NYN SS 1 0 0 0 0 0
1983 NYN 2B 14 3 11 12 0 2
1983 NYN 3B 2 2 5 3 2 0
1984 NYN 2B 115 108 218 294 10 72
1984 NYN SS 8 2 5 12 0 1
1985 NYN 2B 140 122 272 370 7 76
1985 NYN SS 1 0 1 0 0 0
1986 NYN 2B 113 92 186 290 17 56
1987 NYN 2B 87 77 131 210 6 44
1988 NYN 2B 92 84 128 219 4 36
1989 MIN 2B 84 79 146 187 6 37
1990 PIT 2B 15 14 22 32 0 5
1990 PIT 3B 71 68 34 104 12 5
1991 PHI 2B 36 23 50 52 2 12
1991 PHI 3B 20 17 4 27 2 1
1992 PHI 2B 10 3 10 20 1 4
1992 PHI 3B 2 0 0 0 0 0
1993 SEA 2B 1 0 0 1 0 0
1993 SEA 3B 9 8 4 14 3 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Second Base 826
Third Base 110
Shortstop 19
Designated Hitter 1

Salary History

Year Team League Salary
1992 PHI NL $650,000
1991 PHI NL $650,000
1990 PIT NL $400,000
1989 MIN AL $750,000
1988 NYN NL $650,000
1987 NYN NL $550,000
1986 NYN NL $325,000
1985 NYN NL $200,000
Total Career Earnings $4,175,000