Tim Tebow’s baseball workout: What you need to know – Sporting News

Cue the theme from “The Natural,”  though, OK, maybe “Mission: Impossible” is more appropriate.

Former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback turned ESPN personality Tim Tebow, 29, will work out this week in Southern California for up to two-thirds of MLB teams, in hopes of landing a baseball contract.

Here’s what you need to know. 

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When and where is the workout?

Tebow is scheduled to work out Tuesday at an undisclosed time and place in Los Angeles.

Is the workout open to the public?

No, but there reportedly is a large media contingent expected at the workout, so reports should be available — and either appropriately cynical or breathlessly fawning.

What MLB teams are attending?

According to various reports, at least 13 have been mentioned and up to 20 have said they’ll attend, ESPN.com reported last week. The 13 teams mentioned by name: Yankees, Marlins, Padres, Indians, Royals, Braves, Phillies, Reds, Rays, Red Sox, Twins, Angels and Dodgers. (Speaking of the Dodgers, Tebow worked out privately for them before 2016 season, ESPN reported, citing an unidentified source.)

What exactly will the workout consist of?

These kinds of workouts — and, yes, teams do this sort of thing all the time, trying to uncover hidden gems — typically include a 60-yard dash or maybe having the prospect run home to first and home to second, to gauge speed, then, as a prospective outfielder, Tebow will catch some flyballs and be asked to throw to bases, to test his arm strength and (gulp) accuracy. Finally, he’ll hit, and his batting will be in two stages: against typical batting practice pitching (half to three-quarter speed fastballs only) and then, in a true test, against a pitcher who will be trying to get him out.

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So he last played in high school. Was he any good back then?

Um, yeah. As a junior, Tebow was an all-state player in Florida (not a bad little state for baseball), hitting .494 and helping Nease High School reach its classification’s state semifinals.

OK, so does anyone think he can do it?

Opinions are decidedly against. 

One unidentified scout told the New York Daily News that players who go as little as two years without regular hitting have a hard time recovering their their abilities. “It doesn’t seem to be one of those skills that comes back after a long layoff,” the scout said.

However, a former major-league closer who has been working out with Tebow is “impressed.”

Yes i was, and he looked even better today!!!#tebow https://t.co/6G0Udk50RK

— David Aardsma (@TheDA53) August 25, 2016

More than one person has called the whole workout thing “silly” or merely a P.R. stunt (“If all that happens from this is Tebow uses this is a tryout to land him on the next ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ could it be ruled a success?” one columnist mused).

And, of course, this being baseball, there is plenty of righteous indignation that Tebow has the temerity to dabble in the sport. Cue old-school Larry Bowa (via The Boston Globe):

“Whoever’s idea it is, they don’t respect the game of baseball. It’s a hard game. You don’t come in at age 28 or 29. I’m not saying he’s not a good athlete, but this is a hard game and there are a lot of good athletes in pro ball that never get to the big leagues. I don’t think it can happen. There are guys 28 or 29 that are getting released every day. How can you take 10 years off and all of the sudden be facing guys throwing 95, guys throwing sliders?”

How? Well, like Tuesday.