Backman was the Mets\' first round pick in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft (sixteenth overall). He was assigned to the New York–Penn League\'s Little Falls Mets upon signing, and batted .325 with six home runs in his first professional season. After batting .293 for the triple A Tidewater Tides in 1980, Backman received a September call up to the Mets. Making his major league debut starting at second base against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on September 2, Backman got a single in his first at-bat, driving in Claudell Washington for his first major league run batted in.\n', '\n', '

After battling for three seasons to earn a starting job, Backman finally emerged as the Mets\' starting second baseman in 1984. He batted .280, and finished second on the club to Mookie Wilson (46) with 32 stolen bases.\n', '

Prior to the start of the 1986 season, general manager Frank Cashen brought in Tim Teufel, a right-handed hitting infielder from the Minnesota Twins for Billy Beane, Joe Klink and Bill Latham. He and Backman formed a platoon at second base, and along with Wilson and Lenny Dykstra, provided a "spark" at the top of the Mets\' line up, and set the table for the heavy hitters who batted behind them.\n', '

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