"Somebody asked me whether I think he'll be a major league player at some point. I think he will play in the major leagues. That's my guess.” (New York Mets GM Sandy Alderson on Tim Tebow)
As a blogger, I’m required to provide my rigid takes on things and stand by them with unbending resolve. However, there are a few things in this world that make this responsibility nearly impossible for me. Tim Tebow is absolutely one of them; it is physically impossible for me to root against Tebow––it just isn’t in my DNA. He has a certain charisma that’s rare with professional sports players, and he’s not cocky or in your face all the time. His postgame interview after Florida’s loss to Ole Miss in 2008 is one of the most inspiring and memorialized speeches in college football history, and let’s not forget when he used his magical “Tim Tebow powers” to heal a fan who was having a seizure in the middle of Spring Training last year. Tebow’s just a good dude, and I’ll be a fan whether he’s kneeling in the endzone after a touchdown or taking daddy hacks in BP.
Strictly from a statistical perspective, however, I do not believe Tim Tebow should make it to the majors. Tebow averaged .226 and struck out 126 times in 430 at bats on the St. Lucie Mets, the NY Mets’ high-A affiliate. Granted, he did hit 8 home runs, but these numbers are not great for any ordinary minor league player looking to get the call-up. For comparison purposes, two other players on St. Lucie hit for a better average and more home runs in a similar number of at bats, and nobody expects either of these guys to be promoted.
Listen, I completely understand the move to call up such a high profile name like Tebow’s, which is why, logistically, I agree with the move. Ticket sales and media coverage would skyrocket for a Mets team that went 70-92 in 2017. In Spring Training last year, Tebow got so much attention that articles were written noting how many home runs he hit in batting practice:
“PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The final tally was nine batting practice home runs for Tim Tebow, each one of them the subject of admiration. A small but devoted group of fans clustered around Monday to watch the show at the Mets' Spring Training complex. Photographers hovered nearby, documenting Tebow's every move.” (MLB.com)
They say that writing down your thoughts helps you discover how you really feel, but when it comes to Tebow, the more I think and write about Tim in the big leagues, the more confused I get. I don’t even know what I want anymore. Part of me would love to see Tebow Time in the MLB (this is the same part that writes for the biggest “Make Baseball Fun Again” blog in America), but another part of me knows that it’s unlikely he would be able to help the Mets very much, if at all. Then again, the Mets went from having the eighth best record in 2016 to the sixth worst in 2017, so I wouldn’t be expecting much if I were a Mets fan (even after acquiring Todd Frazier and Adrian Gonzalez). This year, their over/under is slotted at 81, and while I like the over on this bet, I don’t expect the Mets to play well enough to make any playoff push. I think it will be a rebuilding year for the Mets; Gonzalez hasn’t had a decent season since 2015, and Frazier’s hit below .230 for the past two years. The only bright spot I see for the Mets is their rotation; Syndergaard is back from injury this season after an all-star year in 2016, Jacob DeGrom looks to continue to pitch well, and New York acquired 2017 all-star veteran Jason Vargas. While the Mets could surprise people at the beginning of the year, I think it’ll end up being the same old struggles as last year come September call-ups.
With that, I say bring on Tebow. It’s Tebow Time. Just like it is Manziel Time. Anyone else feel like it’s 2015 again?
“If you believe, unbelievable things can sometimes be possible.” (Tim Tebow)
(Photo via John Bazemore/AP)
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