Tim Tebow News: Former NFL Star Still Popular Despite Harsh Criticisms From Purist Baseball Fans
When Tim Tebow made the shift from football to baseball, it was obvious that not everyone was pleased. For those who consider baseball to be far too sacred to be the new playground of what they saw as a "washed-up quarterback," Tebow the baseball player is not a baseball player.
Tebow's critics were merciless in their commentary calling him "a pilled-up monkey" or someone who "has size and nothing else," among others. Yet as the dust settles on Tebow's first season in the minor leagues, he proved his critics wrong and ended up batting .226 with eight home runs, 52 RBI (runs batted in), and 126 strikeouts in 126 games for the St. Lucie Mets.
For an athlete who so-called baseball connoisseurs considered an imposter, Tebow fitted in like any old rookie. That is until the fact that he hasn't had real baseball game since his junior year in high school after which his first season numbers becomes even more amazing.
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His performance was also not limited on the field. After all, his biggest impact was not in the box but rather on the bleachers. By the time of his departure, number 15 had increased Columbia's average attendance by nearly 40, an average of 700 fans a game.
According to Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson, they signed Tebow because he was a good guy, but also partly because of his celebrity status, and partly because this is an entertainment business. Nevertheless, baseball purists were not impressed simply by making thousands of new fans and millions of extra dollars according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Criticism has always followed Tebow whether be it his performance during his stint in the National Football League or his faith. It seems that his critics would want nothing more than to see him fail if only to blame it on his wholesome approach to life. But for Tebow, excellence means trying his best, touching lives and enjoying the journey.
