Tebow gets an A in class, trip to S.C.
LAKELAND — Look out Columbia, South Carolina: Tebow Time is coming to you this summer. The Mets’ most famous minor leaguer — and his throngs of adoring fans — will be assigned to the Mets full-season Class-A affiliate in the South Atlantic League, the Columbia Fireflies, the team confirmed Monday. He will open his first professional season against Augusta April 6 in Columbia. Local fans can catch Tebow in New Jersey on May 13-16 when Columbia visits the Lakewood BlueClaws. The Brooklyn Cyclones, a level below Columbia at short-season Class A, don’t start play until June. “For me it really didn't matter,” said the
Heisman Trophy winner of where he was assigned. “I’ll just go and continue the process and continue to improve and be excited for the opportunity to just compete.”
The 29-year-old former NFL quarterback and current college football analyst is trying to reinvent himself as a baseball player 12 years after he gave up the sport as a high school junior.
The Mets signed him last summer after scouting him at a workout. After playing in instructional league, the Arizona Fall League and getting private tutoring from hitting coach Kevin Long this off season, the Mets feel Tebow has improved enough to compete in the league, which is a step above rookie ball.
“I am not about worrying about the level of competition and worrying about failing at it,” said Tebow after going 0-for3 in the Mets’ 5-1 loss to the Tigers. “This is a game you have to be prepared to fail. If you fail 70% of the time, you are one of the best players in the game. You have to handle that mentally. So it's not like you go into something afraid of it.
“You go into it respecting it, but also working and excited by it.”
Tebow played in seven Grapefruit League games, hitting .200 and having some adventures in the outfield. Monday he struggled reading a line drive in the corner, but last week he made a nice catch of a windblown fly ball.
“I learned a lot. Everyday I learned something new, I worked on things,” Tebow said. “I am blessed to have great coaches coaching me up. Going through all the at-bats with players and coaches.”