Why the Mets Shouldn't Promote Tebow to 40-Man Just Yet

As seen on Scout.com, my article on the whether the Mets should promote Tim Tebow come September in order to fill seats.

When the Mets went all in on bringing Tim Tebow into the organization, one has to hope that they knew what they were doing because Tebow is currently figuring things out at Port St. Lucie, and, like clockwork, the Tebow-fanatics and the media are peppering Sandy Alderson with questions about Tebow’s future in ** gasp ** the major leagues.

Ok, you can drop the paper bag you are blowing into.

Yes, Tebow is playing well. He had a 12-game hitting streak and, just recently, had three hits in a game against Fort Myers.  Does this mean that a promotion to the majors should be in the offing? Absolutely not. Tebow does not deserve promotion to the majors.

With the Mets quickly falling out of contention and staring at an August and September of pure gloom, yet there is a prevailing thought that the Mets should promote Tebow just to put fans in the seats.

If such an idea were to actually come to fruition, it would make the Mets look like the total circus act that many already perceive them to be.

Assuming that the Mets call up Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith before rosters expand in September, there is no logical baseball reason to bring Tebow up to the big leagues. For one, a lot of the hype is built on just three very solid weeks for Tebow. Before getting promoted, Tebow was struggling to hit over .220 in Class-A Charleston over a period of two-and-a-half months. This recent surge has to make one wonder which Tebow is the real Tebow? 

Second, Tebow hasn’t proven at all that he can hit Double-A and Triple-A pitching. Before any promotion, one would hope to assume Tebow would need to prove his worth at a higher level over an extended period of time.

Finally, if the Mets shoot Tebow through the minor league system in-spite of whatever future struggles he has at the dish and in the field, it will be at the chagrin of the franchise, any minor leaguer more deserving of promotion, and Tebow himself.

For the health of the franchise, it behooves the Mets to give their true prospects a shot at the big leagues, rather than call up Tebow’s in what would amount to a publicity stunt.

And, remember, it was Sandy Alderson who admitted that Tebow presence in the Mets organization was all about exposure.

"Look, we signed him because he is a good guy, partly because of his celebrity, partly because this is an entertainment business. My attitude is, 'Why not?'"

Those were Alderson’s words on July 2, and with each day that Tebow plays well and draws more and more media attention, those words will keep coming back to haunt Alderson. Why? Because nobody will let Tebow mania go away. 

Just weeks after admitting Tebow’s signing was for publicity, Alderson has had to answer questions about a forthcoming promotion. Alderson said he doesn’t “foresee” such a scenario. He will be held to that statement because the talk won’t stop.

Telling the media and the Tebow cult to let it go is like telling someone to quit smoking. They don’t do it easily.  In the NFL, Tebow-mania became so big that even the Denver Broncos and New York Jets couldn’t control it. 

Aside from having a shot at Payton Manning, there was a reason why John Elway couldn’t wait to get rid of Tebow. Elway knew that in spite of the cult following and one playoff win versus Pittsburgh, Tebow was not going to take Denver to the Super Bowl. 

There is also a reason why Rex Ryan refused to start Tebow when he was the Jets back-up quarterback in 2012. Even though Mark Sanchez was struggling, Ryan knew there would be no turning back if Tebow started a game at quarterback. 

Sandy Alderson better have Elway and Ryan’s phone numbers on speed dial.

Yes, Tim Tebow is a good guy; he would be great in the clubhouse. But come September, if he is called up, manager Terry Collins will have to play him, even if he is making blooper highlights in the outfield. And when he sits, Tebow, Collins will have to talk about that, too.  Not needed. The Mets should focus on the future of the franchise.