Wally Backman was manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks for less than a week.
The Arizona Republic reported on its Web site Friday morning that Backman, who got the job on Monday, had been fired.
"I'm stunned, so is my family, so is everybody," Backman told the Republic. "I'm not prepared to say anything today but I will definitely have a statement [soon]."
The East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune reported Friday that Bob Melvin would replace Backman, who was fired after public revelations about previous legal troubles.
The team scheduled a 1 p.m. ET news conference.
Melvin, along with Manny Acta and Backman, was a finalist for the job.
Melvin was Arizona's bench coach before he left to manage the Mariners for the last two seasons, and Backman managed Arizona's Class A team in Lancaster, Calif., this season.
A Tuesday apology by Backman apparently wasn't enough for the team, which acknowledged that it had not done a thorough background check and didn't know about the brushes with the law.
Backman acknowledged that he was arrested in 2001 after an altercation with a female family friend at his home in Prineville, Ore. He said he agreed to plead guilty to fourth-degree assault. He was placed on 12 months' probation, ordered to undergo an anger management evaluation and donated $1,000 to the local Boys and Girls Club.
Backman was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence in Kennewick, Wash., in 1999, when he was manager of the Tri-City franchise of the independent Western League. He said he fought the charge for two years before pleading guilty.
He also has had financial problems, and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last year, The Arizona Republic reported. Backman said many of the financial problems, including several tax liens he said he has paid, were caused by dealings of his then-wife that he was unaware of.
The Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Brenly on July 2 and replaced him with Al Pedrique, the former third base coach.
The Arizona Republic reported on its Web site Friday morning that Backman, who got the job on Monday, had been fired.
"I'm stunned, so is my family, so is everybody," Backman told the Republic. "I'm not prepared to say anything today but I will definitely have a statement [soon]."
The East Valley (Ariz.) Tribune reported Friday that Bob Melvin would replace Backman, who was fired after public revelations about previous legal troubles.
The team scheduled a 1 p.m. ET news conference.
Melvin, along with Manny Acta and Backman, was a finalist for the job.
Melvin was Arizona's bench coach before he left to manage the Mariners for the last two seasons, and Backman managed Arizona's Class A team in Lancaster, Calif., this season.
A Tuesday apology by Backman apparently wasn't enough for the team, which acknowledged that it had not done a thorough background check and didn't know about the brushes with the law.
Backman acknowledged that he was arrested in 2001 after an altercation with a female family friend at his home in Prineville, Ore. He said he agreed to plead guilty to fourth-degree assault. He was placed on 12 months' probation, ordered to undergo an anger management evaluation and donated $1,000 to the local Boys and Girls Club.
Backman was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence in Kennewick, Wash., in 1999, when he was manager of the Tri-City franchise of the independent Western League. He said he fought the charge for two years before pleading guilty.
He also has had financial problems, and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy last year, The Arizona Republic reported. Backman said many of the financial problems, including several tax liens he said he has paid, were caused by dealings of his then-wife that he was unaware of.
The Diamondbacks fired manager Bob Brenly on July 2 and replaced him with Al Pedrique, the former third base coach.
