Despite a high level of skepticism about Tim Tebow pursuing professional baseball, former MLB closer David Aardsma now has a different take.
Tebow met up with Aardsma for the second time on Thursday, a week after their first training session together, per Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News. After an extended session in which Tebow took at-bats against Aardsma, who pitched fastballs and some breaking stuff, the former MLB pitcher couldn’t help but be mighty impressed.
So much so that Tebow got his goat a few times, including a home run.
“It actually really pissed me off,” Aardsma wrote in a text message to McCarron.
“When I walked away, as a pitcher, I was pretty impressed,” said Aardsma, who saved 69 games for Seattle from 2009-2010 and is aiming for a big-league return. “He needs to see a lot more pitching and understand what the pitcher is watching and seeing from him and adjusting. That’s not something you know until you’re in it.
“I’d get him to instructs (instructional league), work his butt and get him to play winter league. Get him on the field every day, facing different pitchers. I would not be surprised if he’s in Double-A next year. I’d put the talent there right now.”
This is the same type of sentiment others who have worked with Tebow have expressed recently (read more here).
However, many more, including Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks, Buck Showalter of the Baltimore Orioles and at least three MLB scouts seem to believe he has little to no chance of making it in professional baseball.
Multiple MLB teams expressed interest in watching Tebow work out, and now we know at least 20 teams have replied that they will attend next week. We cannot wait for all the takes — hot or otherwise — that will emerge after this session.