Tebow might be wearing a Mets uniform soon.
Advertisement
The quarterback played three seasons with the Broncos and Jets, leading the Broncos to the playoffs during the 2011 season.
The New York Mets confirm they have signed former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow to a minor-league contract.
Other than Tebow’s reporting to the three-week Mets instructional league in Port St. Lucie on September 19, Alderson did not lay out a development plan for his newest Met. Tebow could go to the Arizona Fall League next month or remain in Port St. Lucie.
The decision to sign him was made by Mets general manager Sandy Alderson and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon.
Tebow hosted a workout August 30 for MLB teams at the USC baseball stadium in Los Angeles, with representatives from 28 teams in attendance. They are simply seeing what they can get out of a 29-year-old athlete who has flashed some upside despite being very raw.
But he struggled against live pitching and scouts weren’t impressed with his arm in the outfield. His pursuit is clearly a long shot, but the Mets are intrigued enough to find out for themselves.
Tebow has also already started selling baseball merchandize, leading some sports fans to believe that his baseball endeavours are simply a money grab. From there, it could make sense for Tebow to play in the Winter Leagues, getting him a chance to see more live action and get used to playing baseball again after more than a decade away from the game.
Tim last played baseball at a competitive level his junior year of high school, back in 2005, also in Florida. Last month, the Connecticut-based Bridgeport Bluefish minor league baseball team offered the former NFL player a contract to play for the team during the 2016 season. He was a backup for 2012, was released and later was let go during preseason by New England in 2013 and Philadelphia in 2015. In 2017? A trip to spring training – perhaps with a major league camp invite – and then a likely assignment to the Mets’ Class AA affiliate in Binghamton, N.Y. Though the impact of the city’s huge media contingent on actual on-field baseball events is often overblown – especially by members of that media contingent – the group of 40+ reporters inevitably covering just about every Mets home game represents a challenge players must learn to negotiate.
Oh, the power of Tim Tebow.
Advertisement
Honestly, I think that Vitale is right: there’s no downside here for the Mets.
