The headline at ESPN.com says Tim Tebow “shows off power” at his baseball workout (i.e., one-man fantasy camp). The article paints a more sobering view of his prospects.
Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com writes that Tebow drew “mixed reviews” at the workout, which scouts from 28 teams attended.
He showed significant hitting ability, but he was “repeatedly fooled him with off-speed pitches,” according to Crasnick.
“There is 100 percent nerves, no question about it,” Tebow said. “When you’re at the [Scouting] Combine or a Pro Day [workout], you have your body of work for four years, everything that you did, so it’s not just that one day. Here, you might have seen me when I was 17, but you haven’t seen me since. A lot goes into it, so you’d better show something. A lot of nerves, a lot of pressure, for sure.”
So why is he doing it, more than a decade after last playing baseball?
“This isn’t about publicity,” Tebow said. “It’s definitely not about money. I took a pay cut to do this. For me, you pursue what you love regardless of what else happens. If you fail or fall flat on your face, and that’s the worst thing that can happen, it’s OK. When did pursuing what you love become such a bad thing? I’ll make all the sacrifices to be the best I can.”
It’s one thing to say it, it’s another to do it. Will he accept anything other than a Major League lifestyle? Tebow wasn’t willing to try the CFL when it was clear that the NFL wasn’t interested and when guys like former Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Tebow needs game reps.
At 29, Tebow has limited time to make the climb to the top of the baseball ladder. Will he do all the things he would have been doing if he’d picked baseball over football as a high school senior? Time will tell.
Meanwhile, the guy who says it’s not about money can continue to finance his frolic and detour into baseball by selling signed baseballs and bats at $125 and $175 a pop, respectively.