Mets say Tim Tebow likely to play in some major league spring training games

Although Tim Tebow did not receive an invitation to major league spring training in February, Mets GM Sandy Alderson said Thursday that quaterback-turned-outfielder will play some spring training games with the Mets on loan from minor league camp.

Tebow’s presence and role on the Mets has divided fans since the Mets signed him in September, with some fans excited to see the former Heisman Trophy winner swing a bat and others deriding the entire signing as a revenue-grabbing sideshow. Tebow’s performance in the Arizona Fall League in October did little to assuage that image: He crashed headfirst into a wall in his first game and proceeded to hit .194 with a .538 OPS in 19 games. Team executives have praised his performance given the league’s difficulty and Tebow’s inexperience.

Alderson acknowledged the divide in fan opinion around Tebow, telling reporters the outfielder would be around big league spring training games “too frequently for some and not frequently enough for others.” Before signing with the Mets, Tebow, 29, had not played competitive baseball since his senior year of high school.