Wally Backman

Newsday's coverage

• Sources: Mets assure Terry Collins his job safe

  at the end of this season, two sources told Newsday.Not only is Collins safe, there have been no conversations about Wally Backman as a potential replacement, either for this year or beyond. In fact, Backman's bold guarantees this week about fixing Ike Davis   Read more »

• Demoted Ike Davis already has begun tinkering with swing

  who was farmed out on Sunday by the Mets with a .161 batting average, was immediately offered a suggestion by Las Vegas manager Wally Backman and hitting coach George Greer: move his hands down to eliminate the hitch in his swing.In theory, that will stop   Read more »

• Ike Davis will get full attention of staff at Triple-A Las Vegas

  won't be a short-term engagement."It may be two weeks. It could be a month. I don't know," Triple-A Las Vegas 51s manager Wally Backman said Monday night about Davis, who was farmed out by the Mets on Sunday with his batting average sitting at .161. "He's   Read more »

• Jeurys Familia will have arthroscopic surgery on right elbow Wednesday

  has caught the attention of the Mets, said Terry Collins, who discussed the outfielder during a conversation with 51s manager Wally Backman."His swing is getting a lot better," Collins said, sharing Backman's report. "He's certainly more aggressive with two   Read more »

Around the web

• Mets vs. Cubs, Game 63: Can't wait til Tuesday, but then what?

  You have to hand it to Sandy Alderspin and the Mets: They certainly know how to keep us distracted. While the actual team continues to be absolutely awful, losing 18 of 24 home, and going 2-8 since sweeping the Yanks, the franchise has given us other thi   from New York Daily News Read more »

• Ike knows it will take some time to get on track

  LAS VEGAS — Ike Davis didn’t let the two hits he got Wednesday night in his second game since becoming a minor leaguer again fool him into thinking he was fixed at the plate. “I’m starting to feel better,” Davis said before going hitless in three at-bats   from New York Post Read more »

• Zack shows he’s ready for big show

  LAS VEGAS — Overpowering fastball? Check. Dominant breaking stuff? Check. Complete lack of run support? Yup. Zack Wheeler is ready to become a Met. The right-hander, making his final minor league start last night for Triple-A Las Vegas, showed why the Me   from New York Post Read more »

• From Mets’ Hot Seat to Desert Outpost

  LAS VEGAS — The mission to mend the swing and the psyche of Ike Davis over the coming weeks will look much as it did at Cashman Field on Tuesday afternoon: a handful of men on a sun-scorched field, quietly trading thoughts and questions and encouragement   from The New York Times Read more »

• In Vegas, Wally hopes to fix first baseman’s woes

  The Mets are hoping Ike Davis’ demotion solves his hitting woes. But, in the short term, there are many questions to answer. Here are four regarding his demotion: What’s the Mets’ immediate plan for Davis at Triple-A? Davis’ plan is pretty simple. “I’m g   from New York Post Read more »