Alderson: Backman not as ready to be Mets manager

So why didn't Wally Backman get the job as Mets manager?

"I enjoyed meeting Wally," Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said during the news conference to introduce Terry Collins as the team's 20th skipper Tuesday. "I had long discussions with him over two occasions.

"I can understand why the fans were so supportive of Wally. Wally's going to be in the organization. He will play another important role for us next year. But when it came to all of the things that we were looking for, we just felt that Terry was at this time the more complete package."

Alderson said Backman will be offered a job as a manager in the minor-league system. Backman was at the helm at Brooklyn in 2009, so a promotion to Class A St. Lucie or Double-A Binghamton would seem appropriate.

With Collins getting only a two-year contract, continued growth from Backman could put him in line for another go-round of interviews the next time the Mets are hiring.

Backman's present and future were among the issues Alderson clarified once the hiring of Collins was properly dissected. Some of the others:

Howard Johnson will not be back as hitting coach, but will be offered a position in the organization.

The Mets offered salary arbitration to their lone eligible player, lefthanded reliever Pedro Feliciano, before the midnight deadline.

Alderson is unsure if former general manager Omar Minaya will have a role in the organization.

Once the coaching staff is assembled, Alderson will turn his attention to the part of his job that Mets fans care about the most: getting better players.

"We've got to fill out the rest of the coaching staff, but it is important for us to begin to spend more and more time on the team, on the players, and preparing for the winter meetings," Alderson said. "We've been keeping up with events over the last month."

The Mets already have announced that Chip Hale will return as third-base coach and Dan Warthen will come back as pitching coach.

Some trades have been made and a few free agents have signed around baseball, but the Mets have been busy with the hirings of Alderson, his lieutenants J.P. Ricciardi and Paul De Podesta, and Collins. The winter meetings will be Dec. 6-9.

"We are not going to be big players in the free-agent market this year," Alderson said. "Our goal is to be players every year.

"We have a little less flexibility this time around . . . The free-agent market extends to January, so we've got a lot of time to go. We'll see where we are at the end of that time frame."