Posted on 09/08/2016 6:51:59 AM PDT by NRx
New York Mets fans awoke on Thursday morning with their beat-up team somehow back in a race for the National League playoffs. And then there’s this bit of side news: Tim Tebow will be theirs, too.
According to a person with knowledge of the process, the former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback will sign a minor league deal with the Mets. Terms of the deal weren’t immediately available, though baseball executives expected Tebow to sign for something in the low six figures.
The move, which was first reported by ESPN, will have no impact on the N.L. playoff race; the wannabe outfielder is considered by scouts to be several steps away from the majors. But it will be hard to keep Tebow off the back pages of New York’s tabloids even as the major league Yankees and Mets make September interesting with late playoff pushes.
Tebow, 29, worked out last week in Los Angeles for a throng of scouts that included representatives from 28 of the 30 MLB clubs. He impressed some scouts in attendance with his power from the left side of the plate. The scouts had to take into account that fact that Tebow hasn’t played baseball since his junior year of high school.
“He’s got some bat speed; he’s got some power,” one scout who attended the workout said at the time. “It’s left-handed power, which is always good, and it’s a good feel in the batter’s box for a guy who hasn’t played much.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
No matter his abilities or lack thereof, the NY media will see to it that this does not end well.
A 29 year old rookie?
Even if he makes it to the big leagues, he will be in his 30’s starting out. Not a very good investment for any team.
Well good luck to Tebow.
I love that Tebow isn’t going away; lingering around in the public spotlight to drive God-hating leftists crazy.
Wow! Long time Mets fan here, living my entire life in NYC. I live within easy walking distance of CitiField. Just now heard about this. Thanks.
Well Tebow should feel comfortable in Mets’ Orange and Blue.
Yep.
Bur doesn’t minor league and low six figures seem kind of discriminatory?
Not a good investment? They will easily recoup his salary with increased ticket and merchindise sales. The sports press will drive interest. They will keep him on until he is no longer a story.
Will he help fill seats? That’s what most baseball teams care about, as they play to fewer and fewer paying fans.
He will never make it to Citi. He’ll fill the seats in the minors.
Unless he buys a ticket.
Most likely you are correct. He’s a great athlete, but people don’t realize that climbing your way to the majors through that hierarchy of minor leagues is just about the most difficult thing anyone can accomplish.
My brother was 20 times the ballplayer I was. He played two seasons of semi-pro ball. Two guys on his team had washed out of organized ball at the Class A level, and he says they were WAY better than he was.
The Mets, btw, these past few weeks, have soared back into the playoff picture. I think they’ve won 8 out of their last 10, and shot up about 4 places in the wild card race. They are currently a mere half game out of the top wild card position. Only about a week ago they were 5th or 6th.
I’d guess that is a signing bonus. Typical minor league salaries are $2000 to $3000 per month. It might include ‘personal services’ for Tebow to do some kind of PR work for the Mets organization.
On-field, it’s almost a joke, but baseball has a lot of business aspects that can justify a PR signing.
Minor league baseball has never sold more tickets than it has in the last few years.
Or the guy who shoots t-shirts out of those cool guns.
Good PR move, he will play some winter ball somewhere and fill some A ball stadium in the spring
I was impressed with his attempt to change his throwing style by working a year with a conditioning and throwing coach in order to return to football.
He's a natural athlete who has kept himself in fantastic condition and for the next 6 months he's going to be in an instructional league where he's going to be working on his batting and fielding skills 7 days a week.
If anybody can make it, he can............and I hope he does.
As long as he remembers that throwing the ball into the stands does not stop the clock.
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