Tim Tebow to make Grapefruit League debut this week

With the Mets’ spring training roster already stretched thin by the World Baseball Classic and with two split-squad dates approaching on Wednesday and Friday, general manager Sandy Alderson said that Tim Tebow would be eligible to play in Grapefruit League games at Port St. Lucie this week. And the Mets made it clear after this afternoon’s game that Tebow will start at DH on Wednesday.

The former University of Florida quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner won’t be the only player coming over from minor league camp to help out during the roster squeeze this week, but he will be the most famous. It seems that everything Tebow does nowadays is cause for headlines, but the mania surrounding him has been harmless so far.

That could change if the gridiron star rips off three hits while leading the Mets to a come-from-behind victory on Wednesday, but for now he’s good for getting fans to First Data Field and selling t-shirts. And there’s a good chance that’s all he’ll be good for in his Mets career since Tebow managed a .538 OPS in 19 Arizona Fall League games last autumn.

Although Friday’s split-squad game against Houston will not be televised, Wednesday’s tilt against Boston will be available on SNY in New York and on MLB Network for the rest of the country.