Tebow hasn’t played baseball regularly since his junior year at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, where he hit.494 and was all-county as a senior.
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Tebow did not play baseball as a high school senior or at the University of Florida, where in 2007 he won the Heisman Trophy as the top USA college football player before leading the Gators to a national championship in the 2008 season.
Tim Tebow has always stretched the bounds of our customary sports skepticism, his aw-shucks demeanor and hard-work ethos seemingly incompatible with the cynical world around him.
Tebow has inked a minor-league deal with the New York Mets, according to multiple reports.
Tebow is represented by CAA Baseball’s Brodie Van Wagenen, also the agent for Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes.
“I’m rooting for him”, Revis said by his locker on Wednesday.
And, the athlete’s website (which links to TDAutographs) is selling not only memorabilia from Tebow’s storied college career – and less storied National Football League one – it is also selling signed autograph baseball bats.
So, not much of a gamble for the Mets, but it’s still surprising, considering the team’s general manager previously laughed at reporters asking if he’d sign Tebow.
The demand for Tim Tebow Mets jerseys figure to go through the roof as the once-heralded Florida Gators legend and outspoken Christian has an unquestioned following throughout the nation (3.34 million Twitter followers at last check).
Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis said, “It’s good to have him back in NY”.
This is where we’ll find fans flocking to Tebow’s spring training games. I just really appreciate Mr. Alderson giving my word to it and I have to fulfill it. “We understand he’s going to be a tremendous role model for our players in the system”.
“This is our opportunity, ” Alderson said, “to associate with excellence”. If he progresses fast enough he could play in the Arizona Fall League and the Caribbean Winter League. One day a week will give me a chance to rest up and get back at it the next day.
They could start him off at, say, Columbia of the low-A South Atlantic League to help him acclimate to the daily grind and gain confidence. I don’t view it as not taking it seriously.
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The Brooklyn Cyclones have already led the New York-Penn League in average home attendance for each of their first 16 years of existence on Coney Island. I think he’s going to be very respectful.
