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Buck Showalter isn't amused by Tim Tebow's interest in baseball

Chris Cwik
Staff writer
Buck Showalter isn't a fan Tim Tebow trying to play baseball. (Getty Images/Thearon W. Henderson)
Buck Showalter isn’t a fan Tim Tebow trying to play baseball. (Getty Images/Thearon W. Henderson)

Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow is ready for a new career in baseball. The 28-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner is “actively pursuing” a career in Major League Baseball, and is set to work out for teams soon.

Tebow’s polarizing nature has already inspired a number of takes from writers and former players. The general consensus is that while he’s undoubtedly a tremendous athlete, it’s going to be tough for Tebow to pull this one off.

One person who wants nothing to do with the sideshow is Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter. The 60-year-old told Roch Kubatko of MASN that he was neither “amused” or “intrigued” by Tebow’s latest endeavor.

“I better leave that one alone,” Showalter said, smiling. “Am I intrigued? No, not at all. Amused? No, not at all.

“I think about what these guys do in our Dominican Academy and Delmarva and Aberdeen and the Gulf Coast League and Frederick and Bowie and Norfolk, I take very seriously the stuff they have to do to get the opportunities and do what they’re doing. Somebody will sell some tickets in the spring. I should be careful, we may sign him.

“I bet he was a good player in high school. I was, too.”

Unsurprisingly, Showalter makes some fantastic points. If a club does sign Tebow, it could take away an opportunity for another player who has dedicated his life to baseball. That might be acceptable if Tebow can actually play, but as Showalter implies, he’s more than likely to be a publicity stunt.

Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow has spent a good part of the past year training to be a baseball player. (AP)

And, of course, his final point speaks loudly. One of the main arguments for Tebow giving this a shot is the fact that he hit .494 during his junior year. But as Showalter points out, a lot of players who were tremendous in high school fail to reach the majors.

Showalter wasn’t the only member of the Orioles to chime in on Tebow. Centerfielder Adam Jones took a shot at the former Denver Broncos quarterback on Twitter.

Given Tebow’s celebrity status, and the fact that he’s a gifted athlete, there’s a chance his tryout leads to a real opportunity to prove himself with a major-league club. Based on these comments, that chance probably isn’t going to come with the Orioles.

(BLS H/N: Hardball Talk)

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik