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At age 18, Tim Tebow was the top high school quarterback recruit in the state of Florida. At age 19, he won his first National Championship for Florida. At age 21, he won his second title. Now, it appears Tebow-Mania will once again return to the Sunshine State - and not just to the Mets training facility in Port St. Lucie, where he has spent much of this month.
Perhaps it's part marketing ploy and part cost-saving, but for their part, the Marlins liked what they saw from the former Heisman Trophy winner enough that they agreed to terms on a trade with the New York Mets late Friday night. The trade will send shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, a fan favorite for his dazzling plays in the field, and an undisclosed amount of internation free agent bonus money, to the Mets in exchange for the NFL-bust-turned-MLB-hopeful.
"Realistically, this isn't just about the ties to Florida and the media splash that goes along with it," explained Marlins president of baseball operations Mike Hill. "We like the player. We coveted the player. We were interested in signing him in the offseason, but weren't able to agree to terms. Now we're glad to have him in the fold."
In trading Hechavarria, the Marlins moved a player celebrated by fans and announcers who marvel at his glovework. But metrics have consistently been confused as to Hechavarria's contributions on the field, and his bat has never improved.
Last month, Major League Baseball also instituted a rule that disallowed markers on the infield to be used by fielders as positioning points. Such markers are a hallmark of infield coach Perry Hill's work. While the Marlins are confident that third baseman Martin Prado and second baseman Dee Gordon can adjust to the new system, many in the front office were less confident in Hechavarria's ability to do so. Replacing Hechavarria will be Miguel Rojas, a favorite of manager Don Mattingly's and an above average defender in his own right.
For now, Tebow will be assigned to the Marlins' Class A affiliate in Jupiter, keeping him in Florida immediately. But it's not too hard to see what the next step is.
Once Tebow adjusts to the rigors of playing professionally every day, it is likely the Marlins will rush him to Class AA Jacksonville, where Tebow grew up and starred at quarterback for Nease High School. He is still immensely popular there, with many fans of the city's NFL Jaguars wanting that team to sign him after his release from the New England Patriots.
"Only time will tell how Timmy adjusts to playing every day, but certainly the goal is to get him to Jacksonville as soon as possible," said team president David Samson. "We think he'll thrive there, in a situation he's comfortable with."
Last fall, Tebow saw his first action in the Arizona Fall League, batting just .194 with 2 RBI for the Scottsdale Scorpions. This spring, he is hitting just .148 with no RBI.
Scouts, however, have been impressed with his ability to barrel up the baseball when he makes contact and drive it to the outfield. He has also made several diving catches in the outfield. If things work out the way the Marlins would like them to, he'll be making those plays in Miami one day.
Perhaps it's part marketing ploy and part cost-saving, but for their part, the Marlins liked what they saw from the former Heisman Trophy winner enough that they agreed to terms on a trade with the New York Mets late Friday night. The trade will send shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, a fan favorite for his dazzling plays in the field, and an undisclosed amount of internation free agent bonus money, to the Mets in exchange for the NFL-bust-turned-MLB-hopeful.
"Realistically, this isn't just about the ties to Florida and the media splash that goes along with it," explained Marlins president of baseball operations Mike Hill. "We like the player. We coveted the player. We were interested in signing him in the offseason, but weren't able to agree to terms. Now we're glad to have him in the fold."
In trading Hechavarria, the Marlins moved a player celebrated by fans and announcers who marvel at his glovework. But metrics have consistently been confused as to Hechavarria's contributions on the field, and his bat has never improved.
Last month, Major League Baseball also instituted a rule that disallowed markers on the infield to be used by fielders as positioning points. Such markers are a hallmark of infield coach Perry Hill's work. While the Marlins are confident that third baseman Martin Prado and second baseman Dee Gordon can adjust to the new system, many in the front office were less confident in Hechavarria's ability to do so. Replacing Hechavarria will be Miguel Rojas, a favorite of manager Don Mattingly's and an above average defender in his own right.
For now, Tebow will be assigned to the Marlins' Class A affiliate in Jupiter, keeping him in Florida immediately. But it's not too hard to see what the next step is.
Once Tebow adjusts to the rigors of playing professionally every day, it is likely the Marlins will rush him to Class AA Jacksonville, where Tebow grew up and starred at quarterback for Nease High School. He is still immensely popular there, with many fans of the city's NFL Jaguars wanting that team to sign him after his release from the New England Patriots.
"Only time will tell how Timmy adjusts to playing every day, but certainly the goal is to get him to Jacksonville as soon as possible," said team president David Samson. "We think he'll thrive there, in a situation he's comfortable with."
Last fall, Tebow saw his first action in the Arizona Fall League, batting just .194 with 2 RBI for the Scottsdale Scorpions. This spring, he is hitting just .148 with no RBI.
Scouts, however, have been impressed with his ability to barrel up the baseball when he makes contact and drive it to the outfield. He has also made several diving catches in the outfield. If things work out the way the Marlins would like them to, he'll be making those plays in Miami one day.
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