Mets' Callaway: Tebow's power provides 'a ton of intrigue'
Tim Tebow made an unceremonious 2018 spring training debut Tuesday for the New York Mets, entering a Grapefruit League contest against the Houston Astros as a pinch hitter. He went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and a loud flyout.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway was quick to sing the quarterback-turned-outfielder's praises despite the lack of results, explaining to the New York Post's Mike Puma that Tebow's raw power is his selling point.
"There is a ton of intrigue because of his power," Callaway said. "The guy can hit the ball a mile. He just missed that one today and if he squares that up he’s got a homer. There is definitely intrigue because of that raw power."
Tebow has yet to harness it with regularity. Across 126 minor-league games in 2017, he went yard eight times, and didn't hit a home run in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League.
His training camp got off to an inauspicious beginning when he nearly pulled a Michael Saunders by injuring his ankle on a sprinkler head. Fortunately for him, the injury only kept him out of action for a couple of days.
Tebow has yet to play an inning of regular-season baseball at the major-league level, but Mets management foresees a path for that to eventually happen. Callaway said Tebow wouldn't be at training camp otherwise.
The next opportunity for Tebow to swing the bat could come when the Mets play the Miami Marlins on Thursday afternoon.