He swears it’s not a gimmick, but when Tim Tebow announced he was pursuing a professional baseball career, many eyebrows were raised. There is no doubting his athletic ability, but his stardom as the University of Florida starting quarterback did not translate to NFL success. And while there are many knocks against baseball, such as the pace of play and it being too “boring,” there is one thing that’s certain: hitting a baseball is one of the hardest tasks to accomplish in sports.
After all, if you fail seven out of ten times, you’re in the Hall of Fame. Sure, it is the source of offense in the sport, but when it comes to the matchup between you and the pitcher, as a hitter, you’re on defense. Try not to get hit by a 90mph fastball. Try to recognize the pitch and location so you can hit it in less than a second. In the relationship of pitcher and batter, the pitcher is always the predator.
So it’s understandable that there was skepticism when Tebow announced his intentions. But as the past couple of weeks have gone by, it has been made clear that he is serious about this endeavor. He announced a workout–a showcase, if you will–scheduled for August 30th, and it is expected 20 out of the 30 MLB teams will be in attendance. The workout will be held privately in Los Angeles, and only team representatives will be allowed admittance.
Already, beat writers for individual teams are giving their opinions as to why their team should sign Tebow. As if it would be that easy. Tebow does have a history with baseball; the last time he played competitively was in 2005 as a junior in high school. He was recognized as an all-state player in Florida while hitting just shy of .500 on the year. That’s nothing to scoff at, either. Florida is known to produce high-quality players due to the ability to play year round.
One thing against Tim Tebow is his age. He’s 29 years old, and the window for a prime baseball career–heck, a prime athletic career in general–is closing. Yes, baseball is not a contact sport in the sense football is, and yes, Tebow is a physical specimen. Can he endure a grueling 162 game schedule, playing day in and day out? Time will tell on that, if he shows a team he can contribute at the highest level.
One thing Tebow has working for him, however, is support. He has been working with former major league catcher Chad Moeller, who played 11 years in the big leagues. He now serves as an instructor in Phoenix, Arizona, and has worked closely with Tebow in private workouts.
What an exciting day!! So excited for @TimTebow !!! The swing is for real!!! pic.twitter.com/klmzhI1YF9
— Chad Moeller (@ChadMoellerMLB) August 9, 2016
In the video above, you can see Tebow generates pretty good bat speed, though he would benefit from standing a little more loose in the batter’s box. The ball sounds good off the bat, but then again he’s not going at game speed.
Another former player, though, has Tebow’s back in this pursuit.
I spent time w @TimTebow in the cages recently, he's a NATURAL. I absolutley believe in his ability to play in the bigs. Tim has IT #focused
— Gary Sheffield (@garysheffield) August 9, 2016
That’s some praise coming from a 9 time All-Star, a World Series champion, and the proud slugger of 500 home runs.
The workout on August 30th will follow a similar format that many Cuban prospects showcase for major league scouts. He will showcase his speed in the 60 yard dash, as well as defensive ability in the outfield such as range and arm strength. Then he will take batting practice cuts before facing a live pitcher going at game speed, trying to get him out.
