MLB Rumors: Tim Tebow To Dodgers

MLB rumors are heating up this week as the waiver trade deadline is only one week away. One very unexpected prospect has emerged as a possible late-season signing for a number of MLB clubs, and while he is a surprise baseball prospect, he is a very familiar name to football fans around the world.

According to Sportsrageous, former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow has been working on his baseball skills and plans to hold a private workout for MLB teams on August 30. This might sound like an attempt to extend Tebow’s 15 minutes of fame, but the Los Angeles Dodgers received favorable reviews from scouts who evaluated Tebow earlier this year, and at least one former MLB player also feels that Tim Tebow is a legitimate baseball prospect.

Former MLB catcher Chad Moeller, an 11-year Major League Baseball veteran, has been working with Tebow on his game and has come away impressed with Tebow’s natural talent and baseball ability.

“I am beyond impressed with Tim’s athleticism and swing, and it goes without saying that he has shown a high level of discipline and strong work ethic. I see bat speed and power and real baseball talent. I truly believe Tim has the skill set and potential to achieve his goal of playing in the Major Leagues, and based on what I have seen over the past two months, it could happen relatively quickly.”

MLB teams appear to be taking Tim Tebow’s dalliance with pro baseball seriously. Reports indicate that 20 teams or more will send scouts to Tebow’s workout, and the Dodgers have gone on record as having “shown interest” in the former Florida Gators and Denver Broncos signal caller.

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Tim Tebow is not new to the game of baseball, as he was a high school star in the state of Florida. However, he set baseball aside to focus his time and energy on football and won the Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at the University of Florida in 2007. He went on to a three-year career in the NFL that ended after his release from the New York Jets following the 2012 NFL season.

The New York Post reports that Tim Tebow will be put through a standard MLB free agent workout, which includes running sprints, throwing, and batting practice. The workout will be highlighted by a series of match-ups between Tebow and a group of pro baseball pitchers; Tebow will be at the plate while each pitcher tries to get him out in a sequence of simulated MLB at-bats.

Tim Tebow has had a fascinating run as a figure in the world of sports as well as a pop culture staple. Tebow initially gained fame during his college football days, which culminated in a Heisman Trophy and two BCS National Championships as Tebow starred at quarterback for the Florida Gators. NFL teams were very split on Tebow’s potential as a pro, but the Denver Broncos believed in him and used their first-round pick (25th overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft to nab Tebow.

Tebow’s NFL career featured a strange combination of individual struggles and team success. Tebow was thrust into action as a starter in 2011, and while his play was less than impressive, his leadership skills seemed to will his team to victory more often than not. Tebow went 7-4 as a regular season starter that season and led the Broncos to a thrilling overtime playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idx5wsH6Fys&feature=player_detailpage

Despite the success Tim Tebow had in Denver that season, his football career fizzled and he never played quarterback in the NFL again. Since his short stint as a fullback/tight end for the New York Jets in 2012, Tebow has worked as a college football analyst for ESPN.

Current MLB rumors are circulating that former NFL football player and pop culture icon Tim Tebow is trying his hand at professional baseball, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have already expressed interest in signing him. We will find out soon if this is just another attempt on Tebow’s part to remain in the public eye, or if he truly has a chance to swing a bat for the Dodgers or another MLB team someday.

[Photo by Joe Mahoney/AP Images]