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Tebow sees the progress he's made

Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow (USA Today Sports Images)

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It’s that wonderful time of spring; trees are blooming, days are becoming longer and we all turn our attention to the riveting sport of minor league baseball to check in on the most popular farm player since Michael Jordan.

Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow is entering his second season in the New York Mets' farm system. He is currently playing as a non-roster invite for spring training games. He’s gone 1-10 thus far at the plate, primarily appearing as a designated hitter.

On Friday night Tebow arrived on the red carpet for his Tim Tebow Foundation Celebrity Gala, still trying to play catch up from the day, balancing a life as a high-profile public figure with the grueling grind of day to day minor league baseball player.

“It was fast, trust me—I got ready quick,” Tebow laughingly admitted when asked how quickly he had come from the South Florida baseball field to the North Florida gala.

There was also perhaps a bit of head-spinning still going on as it had been merely hours since the former Heisman winner had faced Max Scherzer when the Mets squared off against the Washington Nationals.

The Cy Young winner made quick work of the lefty, sitting him down on three pitches.

“He’s really good,” guffawed Tebow.

Despite the somewhat dismal .100 batting percentage Tebow currently posts, his power at the plate has caught enough eyes to warrant mentioning. A bit of consistency may not turn him into a regular “Casey at the Bat” but it will help his hopeful rise through the farm system. Tebow himself knows a strong presence opposite the pitcher is his best opportunity to advance and is focusing his game there.

“I feel really good with my at-bats so far. Really like my approach at the plate, feel like I’m seeing it really well and just want to continue that process.”

Whether or not that process pays off is yet to be seen. But one person who knows what it takes to succeed on the diamond sees a future for Tebow.

Johnny Damon, the two time World Series Champion (once with the Boston Red Sox in 2005 and once with the New York Yankees in 2009) finished a 12 year career in the MLB with a .284 average, 235 home runs and 2,769 hits which is 54th on the MLB career hits all-time leaders list.

Damon was in Ponta Vedra for the Tebow Foundation Gala and Golf Tournament and shared his insights to the 30-year old league sophomore.

“He’s a winner. Winning is tough to be taught, so he’s had it inside of him for a long time…

“Baseball is the toughest sport. It’s built around failure. Every time someone makes an out it’s considered a failure so he’s not worried about that. It’s about going out and playing the game and successes happen by strong determination that he has and the ability to let things go.

“It’s great for him and the Mets have a tremendous guy around, a winner that can actually help teach the Mets how to get back to the winning way.”

Tim Tebow will have three more weeks to show the Mets his winning ways before spring training is over and the real work of the season begins.

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