Tim Tebow pursuing baseball career

[nate82]

$$$$, publicity. It's Business 101. Why did they have Garth Brooks in ST? Must have seen a glimmer of talent I guess

 

Except there is no gain on this. The Mets will more than likely be on the losing end of this as the majority of business classes will tell you this is a dumb idea if you are looking at it as a purely as a marketing or publicity gimmick. The amount of money the Mets will have to give over for this will be a net negative.

 

Also what does Garth Brooks and spring training have to do with this? Teams do the celebrity and former players at spring training all the time. The majority of the time especially with celebrities is they normally pay for the opportunity to do this but you just never hear about it or it is for some charity event.

 

The difference between your example of Garth Brooks in spring training and this is that Tebow actually has some talent and has a slim chance of making it to MLB while Garth Brooks who more than likely paid his way onto the spring training roster had no chance hence why he was only there for spring training and not instructionals where there are no tickets sold.

[RockCoCougars]

He is solely a gate attraction, and likely will embarrass himself once pro pitchers start throwing him curves, sliders, etc. Athleticism doesn't translate very well to hitting, especially when you haven't played for a decade.

[jerichoholicninja]

$$$$, publicity. It's Business 101. Why did they have Garth Brooks in ST? Must have seen a glimmer of talent I guess

 

Except there is no gain on this. The Mets will more than likely be on the losing end of this as the majority of business classes will tell you this is a dumb idea if you are looking at it as a purely as a marketing or publicity gimmick. The amount of money the Mets will have to give over for this will be a net negative.

 

Also what does Garth Brooks and spring training have to do with this? Teams do the celebrity and former players at spring training all the time. The majority of the time especially with celebrities is they normally pay for the opportunity to do this but you just never hear about it or it is for some charity event.

 

The difference between your example of Garth Brooks in spring training and this is that Tebow actually has some talent and has a slim chance of making it to MLB while Garth Brooks who more than likely paid his way onto the spring training roster had no chance hence why he was only there for spring training and not instructionals where there are no tickets sold.

 

How could this be a net negative? The Mets could have signed anyone else with zero experience in affiliated ball and it would have cost them the same amount and that guy would have the same chance of making it as Tebow.

 

I just can't understand the hate and vitriol over this.

[nate82]

 

How could this be a net negative? The Mets could have signed anyone else with zero experience in affiliated ball and it would have cost them the same amount and that guy would have the same chance of making it as Tebow.

 

I just can't understand the hate and vitriol over this.

 

You misinterpreted what I said. If the Mets are doing this as a publicity stunt then it is a net negative which I don't believe the Mets are doing. They are bringing in a player that they think can play for them nothing more and nothing less.

 

To me this is more like when Jordan tried to play baseball. It was something that he wanted to do he tried and it didn't work out.

[MrTPlush]

The problem is at first there is no publicity gain. He will likely not be in big league spring training and next year he would almost surely start out in Arizona rookie ball. He would have to make it to A ball to where pleasing an affiliate might do something for them. In rookie ball attendance boosts don't have any possible positive effects for the Mets. It's not like they are trying to lure themselves into a better location in rookie ball.

 

The other thing is it isnt like they can put him in big league camp and run ridiculous promos/merchandise to get extra money. If he isn't on the 40 man he hasn't signed any kind of licensing agreement.

[rwa12]

I'll be surprised if they start him in rookie ball. I think he'll start in A/A+ and be aggressively promoted with any success. They have no investment in him. They didn't spend a draft pick, didn't spend years developing, etc. I believe this is no-lose venture for the Mets. It gets them some attention, it pleases their affiliates, it puts a professional in a minor league locker room to mentor, and if he succeeds, they get an OF out of it.

 

It's baseball, it's supposed to be fun.

[TheCrew07]

The don't really have time to start him in rookie ball, I would guess his placement depends on how well he does this fall. He's too old start at the bottom and work his way up 1 year at a time.

[Noche]

I bet he gets released or retires before he ever sees the field in 2017

[WV Brew]

Link

 

Tebow homers on his first instructional league pitch (off the Cardinals!).

[nate82]

Link

 

Tebow homers on his first instructional league pitch (off the Cardinals!).

 

Well that is not good for his career. He is now going to be beaded whenever he bats against the Cardinals as that is not the Cardinal way. How is Chris Carpenter going to explain this to his kid?

[jerichoholicninja]

Tebow "promoted" to the AFL.

[trwi7]

Watched his swing and everything is so stiff and awkward. He's going to get destroyed in the AFL.

[DHonks]

When I worked in the AFL, there was a lot of sentiment from employees and scouts that had Michael Jordan stuck with baseball, he possibly could have made the big leagues. For his brief stint, he jumped straight into AA, showed a good eye, and improved as the season went on. I'll wait and pass judgement for Tebow. Pretty neat to be able to try to live his dreams multiple times

[jerichoholicninja]

Watched his swing and everything is so stiff and awkward. He's going to get destroyed in the AFL.

 

Are there any pitchers of note in the AFL this year? Seems like teams don't want to add more innings to their top guys by sending them there.

[trwi7]

Watched his swing and everything is so stiff and awkward. He's going to get destroyed in the AFL.

 

Are there any pitchers of note in the AFL this year? Seems like teams don't want to add more innings to their top guys by sending them there.

 

Yes, several. And I'm not sure it even matters if the pitchers are good. Tebow looked really, really bad.

[WV Brew]

Tebow does it all:

 

saves fans life

 

I wonder you guys didn't want to sign him. Maybe he could have prayed for another team to trade for Garza!

[reillymcshane]

Turns out the Mets gave Tebow $100,000 to sign - not to mention gave him a spot in the AFL (which is a pretty prized thing).

 

Here were Keith Law's comments:

 

“a craven, mercenary move befitting an independent-league team desperate for the added revenue from ticket sales, not something a major league team with postseason aspirations should be doing.”

 

I totally agree with Law on this.

[jerichoholicninja]

Turns out the Mets gave Tebow $100,000 to sign - not to mention gave him a spot in the AFL (which is a pretty prized thing).

 

Here were Keith Law's comments:

 

“a craven, mercenary move befitting an independent-league team desperate for the added revenue from ticket sales, not something a major league team with postseason aspirations should be doing.”

 

I totally agree with Law on this.

 

Some people hate Tebow. Whatever, to each their own. But there is no way this is a PR stunt or money grab for the Mets. The Mets will make zero money off of him since, unless he's playing in MLB, their minor league affiliates reap the financial rewards. I suppose they'll sell a couple hundred more spring training tickets which will amount to about a .00000001% increase in revenue for 2017. The $100,000 seems like a lot but that doesn't seem to out of line to what's given to 16 year old international free agents who will most likely never play a game in the US.

 

I'll agree the spot in the AFL seems odd but he's 29, theoretically just about to leave his prime baseball years. They need to see what he's got now. They can't afford to just let him play against a bunch of high schoolers in scrimmages this winter and then bring him along slowly like every other prospect. He's got 2 years realistically to get to the bigs. He's got to be fast tracked. And you can't tell me the pitchers the Brewers sent to the AFL this year really deserve to be there.

 

Full disclosure, I do not love nor like Tim Tebow. He was a below average pro quarterback and a media created personality who has gotten way more attention than his athletic abilities deserve. I, however, cannot understand the flak he's getting for trying to play pro baseball.

[Outlander]

Tebow is selling a bunch of jersey so I imagine the Mets won't lose anything out of this deal. It's a business, I don't really care what the Mets do with their minor league system. If the Mets called him up I would have an issue but don't see that happening.

[jerichoholicninja]

Tebow is selling a bunch of jersey so I imagine the Mets won't lose anything out of this deal. It's a business, I don't really care what the Mets do with their minor league system. If the Mets called him up I would have an issue but don't see that happening.

 

This too. People are acting like he's been gifted a major league roster spot right away which hasn't happened. I wouldn't be surprised when/if he shows he doesn't flat out suck at AAA that he'll get a somewhat undeserved September callup. But there are plenty of former/current top prospects who get September callups despite having horrible numbers.

 

Not to mention every team has nepotism draft picks every year where they pick the relative of a coach, scout, or player just because they are family.

[And That]

Burke Badenhop's take on Tebow

[MrTPlush]

I fully realize that Tebow will sell a lot of jerseys and will entice far more fans to come to the ballpark than I ever did. From a business standpoint, he will probably be profitable. But, as a former player, those ends don’t necessarily justify the means

-Burke Badenhop

 

Actually it does Burke. Stop complaining you sound like an idiot. It's a business and always a business. You got $1,000 because at the time you were worthless and a massive long shot to ever give your team any value in the future. Tim Tebow got a lot without proving anything because he doesn't need to. He can already make the Mets money.

 

How such a concept stings you or offends you is kind of sad. It is pretty basic. If you wanted to be offended be offended he has an AFL roster spot. That's the only thing I can see a player being upset about.

[CheezWizHed]

I thought that line sounded funny too. But I'm guessing he is coming from a baseball purist perspective and Tebow in the AFL means another player that has a higher potential to reach the MLB is excluded.

 

But these are businesses and if I can invest $100k and get back $101k, I've succeeded as a business.

[jerichoholicninja]

I fully realize that Tebow will sell a lot of jerseys and will entice far more fans to come to the ballpark than I ever did. From a business standpoint, he will probably be profitable. But, as a former player, those ends don’t necessarily justify the means

-Burke Badenhop

 

Actually it does Burke. Stop complaining you sound like an idiot. It's a business and always a business. You got $1,000 because at the time you were worthless and a massive long shot to ever give your team any value in the future. Tim Tebow got a lot without proving anything because he doesn't need to. He can already make the Mets money.

 

How such a concept stings you or offends you is kind of sad. It is pretty basic. If you wanted to be offended be offended he has an AFL roster spot. That's the only thing I can see a player being upset about.

 

Burke should be upset at the 50 or so 16 year old Latin kids who get more than $1,000 signing bonus every year too.

[MrTPlush]

For all those hating on Tebow's decision to play baseball:

 

http://www.breitbart.com/video/2016/10/25/watch-tim-tebow-takes-espns-stephen-a-smith-to-task-over-decision-to-play-baseball/