BOSTON – It’s only natural to assume Tim Tebow’s quest to play professional baseball is little more than a publicity stunt, but the former major-leaguer training the Heisman Trophy winner believes his protégé can make a successful transition to a new sport.
Chad Moeller, a former Yankees catcher who played for seven teams during an 11-year big-league career, has been working with Tebow since late-May, helping the former NFL quarterback prepare for a workout later this month for major-league teams.
“He wants to do this,” Moeller said during a telephone interview Wednesday. “He’s giving up a lot of different things to go after this.”
Tebow, a lefty-hitting, lefty-throwing outfielder who turns 29 on Sunday, will work with Moeller at his Scottsdale Batting Cages for 25 days this month in advance of his workout. Moeller, who runs a baseball academy in the same area, said his teachings essentially “plagiarize” Mets hitting coach Kevin Long, who was a huge help to him late in his career.
Follow the Daily News Sports on Facebook. “Like” us here.
Fan favorite Tim Tebow has a short stay as a backup quarterback with the Jets, but now is looking more towards the Mets or Yankees as he pursues pro baseball.
(Kevin Hagen/for New York Daily News)
Moeller even sent video of Tebow’s swing to Long for his assessment.
“His swing is very simple,” Long said. “Not a whole lot of head or body movement. Chad and Tim did a nice job of simplifying and putting his swing together. It’s short and explosive.”
“He’s obviously a physical player,” Moeller said of the 6’2”, 265-lb. Tebow. “He’s going to be a power hitter. The thing I think gives him the best chance to succeed is that he can drive the ball the other way very well and hits it very hard. He has good discipline at the plate.”
Chad Moeller plays 11 big league seasons, including 2008 and 2010 with the Yankees and wins a World Series in 2001 with Arizona.
(Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Moeller readily admits that Tebow has been hitting mostly against pitching machines throwing mid-90s fastballs, though sliders and other breaking balls will present more of a challenge in the weeks ahead for a player that hasn’t played organized baseball since high school.
Tim Tebow wants to play professional baseball
“I have to take his bat away; I have to make him stop,” Moeller said of Tebow’s dedication. “The shape that he’s in is ridiculous. A lot of people doubt whether he can throw with the size of his arms and his shoulders, but that’s not a problem at all. I’ve watched him throw first-hand and it’s really accurate and really good. His arm is major-league average – and I know there’s still more under the hood.”
Tebow is well aware that he will be viewed as a sideshow or a novelty at first, but Moeller noted that Tebow won’t be cashing in on this career change for quite some time – and will only do so if he’s successful.
Tebow was plagued by what NFL people called poor throwing mechanics during his football career. That isn’t an issue from the outfield, says Moeller.
“We all value the dollar, right? This is going to cost him a lot of money to do this,” Moeller said. “What he can make is minimal compared to what he can make doing TV or speaking engagements. This is something he wants and something he’s sacrificing dollars for.”
Asked for a comparison to a current major-leaguer, Moeller pointed to Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber when it comes to his offensive prowess. The defense? That’s another matter.
To Mets GM, Tim Tebow’s baseball dream sounds funny
“Size and power-wise, you’d go with Schwarber,” Moeller said. “But he’s good in the outfield, which is the part that makes (the comparison) wrong. This is a 265-lb sprinter. He’s fast; that’s not the same as a catcher-turned-outfielder. I’ve seen him go back on balls, come in on balls and make diving catches.”
Tebow takes in a Yankees game with Dwyane Wade in 2012.
(Kathy Willens/AP)
One player Moeller doesn’t want Tebow compared to is Michael Jordan, who once failed to make a similar career change.
“We all watched Jordan take a swing,” Moeller said. “Greatest basketball player ever? Absolutely. But at no point did he ever look like a baseball player. Watch Tim hit, that’s a good swing.”
Moeller would like to see Tebow sign with a team, work in the instructional league in September and then play in the Arizona Fall League a few weeks later. He believes Tebow would be ready to start in Double-A next season.
Eric Decker says minor-league team should sign Tebow to sell tix
Given the fame and fortune Tebow has had since he left the University of Florida, has Moeller warned him that life as a minor-leaguer is far from glamorous?
“We’ve talked about it; there’s no way to simulate a really long bus trip and showing up to play the next day,” Moeller said. “He’s going after this. I have no concerns with him saying, ‘this is too hard.’ It might not work out, but it’s not going to be because he throws in his cards. He’s going to give it a run.”
