ST. LOUIS – Eighteen years after helping the Mets to a World Series championship, Wally Backman will get a chance to come back home.
Late yesterday afternoon, the Mets asked for and received permission from the Diamondbacks to speak to Backman about their managerial vacancy. The 1986 hero will become the sixth candidate to interview with the Mets.
Reached yesterday, Backman said he’d be “absolutely” interested in a return to Shea.
“I’m excited the Mets decided to bring me back,” Backman told The Post. “I have a lot of fond memories.”
The Mets, though, already have company in the hunt for Backman, as he is one of three finalists for the Diamondback managing job, along with Manny Acta and Bob Melvin.
Backman will interview with Arizona ownership today and will likely interview with the Mets tomorrow in St. Louis. The Mets will interview Dodgers bench coach Jim Riggleman today.
Backman just finished his first year managing the Diamondbacks’ high-A ball affiliate in Lancaster, which went 91-58, came within a game of the league championship and won Baseball America’s Minor League Team of the Year. The feisty Backman also was named by Baseball America as the California League’s Best Managerial Prospect for the second time.
Backman also has skippered the White Sox’ Double-A team (Birmingham) for two years and spent one year with their A-ball club in Winston-Salem.
While Willie Randolph remains the favorite for the Mets’ job thanks to his impressive interview on Monday, Backman’s experience and aggressiveness could be a perfect fit in New York.
The Mets could also look to interview St. Louis special assignment scout Jim Leyland, as he and Met GM Omar Minaya had what Leyland described as “a very casual conversation” on Monday night.
“He talked to me a little bit, but there was nothing definite set up,” Leyland told The Post in a phone conversation.
Leyland, who will also interview with the Phillies on Monday, said he’d be willing to talk to the Mets and noted, “I have interest in managing again. Will I be? I don’t know. That depends on a lot of things.”
Back on Oct. 15, Leyland told The Post that not only was he “not really sure” he wanted to get back into managing, but he had spoken to Minaya to recommend Astros third base coach Gene Lamont. But apparently Leyland is now thinking about returning to a dugout himself.
Leyland, 59, is best known for leading the Marlins to the championship in 1997. He has not managed since the 1999 season with Colorado.
Meanwhile, rumblings are that the Mets may be parting ways with team physician Andrew Rokito. The Mets have already let go of trainer Scott Lawrenson, and it appears they may be on the way toward revamping their medical staff.