Tim Tebow to start season with Mets’ Double-A team in Binghamton
The Mets' Tim Tebow laughs with teammates in the dugout before a spring training game against the Yankees on March 7, 2018, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. Credit: AP / John Bazemore
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — As expected, Tim Tebow will begin the season with the Mets’ Double-A affiliate in upstate Binghamton.
Tebow, 30, got the promotion despite hitting .056 (1-for-18 with 11 strikeouts) in major-league spring training. Tebow was slowed by a sprained ankle before being sent to minor-league camp.
Binghamton is in the Eastern League, which includes the Yankees’ Trenton team.
Tebow hit .226 with eight home runs in Single-A last season. It was the former Heisman Trophy winning and Jets quarterback’s first season as a professional baseball player. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson has said he planned to be aggressive with Tebow and expects him to one day make the majors.
Conforto not too disappointed
Citi Field will be packed for Opening Day on Thursday, but one person who won’t be there is Michael Conforto. He’ll be back in Florida getting at-bats in a minor-league spring training game.
“I would love to be there and see everything,” Conforto said. “Last year, it was awesome, and the year before, but hopefully there’s many, many more to come. I don’t think it’s going to be all that disappointing. When I watch the game on TV, I’ll have some feelings of missing out, but once I get there it’ll be Opening Day for me. I miss a week of games, 10 days, it’s not the end of the world. I’d rather miss 10 at the beginning than 50 in the second half.”
Conforto admitted he targeted the opener for his return even though the team was tamping down expectations.
“Why not?” Conforto said. “I’ve been shooting for Opening Day since I got the surgery regardless that the doctors were saying May 1 and the team was saying May 1. Doesn’t hurt for me to try to have Opening Day in my mind even if the people who have my best interests in mind are going to hold me back a little bit. I think just having that mindset put me where I am right now — ahead of schedule.”
Outfielder Brentz claimed off waivers
The Mets claimed outfielder Bryce Brentz off waivers from the Pirates. Brentz, 29, hit 31 homers for Triple-A Pawtucket last season. He last appeared in the majors with Boston in 2016. The Mets said a decision about where he will start the season will be made in the next few days.
The finale
Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom each pitched three innings in an intrasquad game that featured stoppages of play to work on bunt and double-steal defenses. “Definitely different,” Harvey said. Conforto homered off Paul Sewald.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
