Mets GM makes bold 'major leagues' prediction for Tim Tebow
For most MLB prospects, posting a .226/.309/.347 slash line over 126 minor league games is hardly a clear-cut sign that the majors are next.
But then again, Tim Tebow isn’t most MLB prospects.
The larger-than-life New York Mets prospect, who gained fame as a football player, has officially arrived at Mets camp.
.@TimTebow has arrived in camp. #Mets pic.twitter.com/vLmXxk1VRN
— New York Mets (@Mets) February 18, 2018
Tebow certainly seems to pass the eye test.
Albeit just in a batting cage, Tebow’s swing looks much more relaxed and natural after being able to spend an entire offseason fine-tuning his hitting.
Tebow’s magnetic personality, due in no small part to his pronounced faith, has always been a selling point.
In fact, Mets general manager Sandy Alderson all but admitted the team originally hired Tebow as a marketing ploy.
“Look, we signed him because he is a good guy, partly because of his celebrity, partly because this is an entertainment business,” Alderson said back in June. “My attitude is ‘Why not?’”
Alderson also admitted that his team’s scouting department had little to do with Tebow’s hiring. One scout, in fact, wanted to distance himself from Tebow the baseball prospect and didn’t want his name associated with Tebow in the media guide.
“Ultimately, the guy that we put down [next to Tebow’s name in the media guide] was the director of merchandising,” Alderson admitted.
Seeing as how Alderson has always been frank about Tebow’s prospects, it should be noted that Alderson has clearly changed his tune on Tebow.
“I think he will play in the major leagues,” Alderson said at a press conference to introduce free-agent signee Jason Vargas, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo.
Alderson’s “major leagues” prediction is a stark departure from his previous admissions that Tebow was being utilized as little more than a publicity stunt.
And, again, a .226/.309/.347 line is hardly worth writing home about.
But Tebow simply can’t have the luxury of being on a typical prospect’s timeline.
Tebow will turn 31 in August. His accelerated timetable necessitates a much more urgent sink-or-swim mentality.
The Mets, and Tebow himself, will have to know whether or not Tebow’s a real baseball player sooner than later. Tebow could rise to the challenge or fail spectacularly, but he’s going to need to figure that out now.
If Tebow’s a real-deal baseball player? Great and good for the Mets for giving him a chance.
If not? There’s always the possibility of returning to professional football in 2020.
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