Mets GM Gives Big Update on Tim Tebow's Quest for MLB
Between his inspirational visits to the USS Carl Vinson and his new gig hosting “Million Dollar Mile” on CBS, it’d be hard to blame you for forgetting that he’s in the middle of pursuing a baseball dream.
Tebow, who was with the New York Mets Double-A affiliate Binghamton Rumble Ponies last year before suffering a season-ending hand injury, is still very much pursuing his dream of making it to the major leagues.
Well, the former football star is now officially just “one step away” from his MLB debut.
In November, Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen announced that Tebow would start next season with the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate in Syracuse.
Now, Van Wagenen is elaborating on just how good of a chance Tebow has to make it to the majors — perhaps one injury away.
“If Tim Tebow is the best offensive player in Triple-A at that point in time, he’s going to be in (manager Mickey Callaway’s) lineup,” Van Wagenen said on WFAN-AM.
“I’ve always said about Tim, tell him he can’t do something and he’s going to prove you wrong,” the GM said.
In that same Wednesday interview, Van Wagenen said Tebow is “one step away” from making the Mets’ big league roster.
That’s incredible.
Think about it. It was just two scant years ago that Tebow first shifted careers and began his pursuit of baseball.
There were ups and downs, but he continued to hone his craft. Despite looking overwhelmed at times with minor league pitching, Tebow continued to work hard and he eventually hit .273 with six homers and 36 RBIs in 84 games for the Rumble Ponies.
Those numbers were good enough to qualify Tebow for the Eastern League All-Star Game.
With his tireless work ethic and competitive drive, in two years time, Tebow has gone from New England Patriots castoff to being “one step away” from making his MLB debut. Love him or hate him, that’s nothing short of impressive.
“The strides he made from when he first signed and the showcase that he had, to how much better he’s gotten at the level of competition he’s had to perform, it’s been remarkable,” Van Wagenen said.
Now, to be fair, the level of competition at Triple-A is stiffer than Double-A. It is, in the most literal sense, “one step away” from the majors, and thus the quality of talent reflects that.
But as he’s done throughout his career, Tebow has made a habit out of surprising people and exceeding expectations.
For crying out loud, his first at-bats in both Single-A and Double-A were home runs. That’s obviously not to say he will homer in his first Triple-A at-bat, but who am I to doubt the man at this point?
Don’t be surprised to see Tebow playing in the Mets’ orange and blue next season. It’s become abundantly clear that it’s unwise to underestimate him.
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