Ex-QB homers in 1st at-bat for Mets

PORT ST. LUCIE — Cue the music from “The Natural.”

Tim Tebow hit a home run on the first pitch he saw as a professional baseball player Wednesday in his instructional league debut for the Mets.

Tebow cracked it over the leftcenter field fence off a fastball delivered by Cardinals prospect John Kilichowski, a 22-year-old lefty drafted this year in the 11th round out of Vanderbilt.

“It was fun,” a glowing Tebow said afterwards. “I just wanted to have the approach that I was aggressive. That was something that we’ve been talking about here every day and practicing it and really trying to go gap-togap and trying to sit on off-speed stuff. But if you get a fastball, drive it and be aggressive. That’s kind of my mentality anyway.”

Tebow, who did not kneel or point to the sky in celebration as he used to do on the football field, was mobbed by his teammates when he returned to the dugout. All day, he was showered with affection from the 300 loyal fans in attendance in the bleachers and along the fence, most of whom were dressed in orange and blue Florida garb.

Mets fans should note that the dimensions of Field 7, where the game was played, are the same as Citi Field.

Tebow started in left field and went 1-for-6 for the day in a semi-simulated game. He batted second in each of the first five innings, no matter where the Mets were in the lineup when the frame started. The lefty-swinging former QB hit mostly to the left side of the field as he practiced waiting on pitches.

Tebow grounded out in the second and third inning, worked the count to 2-2 then flied out in the fourth, grounded out to third in the fifth and flied out to left in the sixth in his final at bat.

“I liked a lot of my at-bats today,” he said. “I felt like I hit the ball really hard four out of the six times.”

It was Tebow’s first game since his junior year of high school. It was also the first time during his stint with the Mets that he’s seen anything but fastballs and changeups in live action. He did not embarrass himself in his attempt to be a new-age Bo Jackson or Deion Sanders, who famously excelled at both baseball and football. “It didn’t feel like I really got fooled seeing it out of the hand,” Tebow said. “I was just late on a couple of the fastballs. I’ll get used to it.”

Those who argue that this idea of the Mets trying to turn Tebow into a baseball player is nothing more than a publicity stunt should note that the former quarterback is playing against competition almost 10 years younger than him.

The 6-foot-4 Tebow said playing baseball is “different” than it was playing football. The approach in the two sports is vastly different. Football plays are four seconds of mayhem, while the pace of baseball is much slower. As an outfielder, Tebow also has less control over a game as when he was under center.

“Not everything is grit your teeth and flex and will it to be done,” he said. “Sometimes you can do that in football.”

Tebow has improved all week. O n Monday, Tebow struck out twice in an intrasquad game, and on Tuesday, he showed signs of improvement in amassing two hits, two runs and ending the game with a diving catch in left.

His home run gave some legitimacy to the Mets giving him a $100,000 signing bonus, and even if he may be a long way from making it to the majors, Tebow got a lift from his performance Wednesday.

“It feels good to hit a home run,” he said.