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Tim Tebow signed a minor league contract with the?New York Mets?on Thursday and?will begin his professional baseball career in the?fall instructional league on Sept. 19 in Port St. Lucie, Florida.Mets general manager Sandy Alderson insisted that signing Tebow, a former NFL quarterback, is not a publicity stunt.While I and the organization, I think, are mindful of the novel nature of this situation, this decision was strictly driven by baseball, Alderson said on a conference call with Tebow and agent Brodie Van Wagenen on Thursday to announce the agreement that includes a $100,000 signing bonus. This was not something that was driven by marketing considerations or anything of the sort. We are extremely intrigued with the potential that Tim has.He has demonstrated over his athletic career that he is a tremendous athlete, has got character, a competitive spirit. Aside from the age (29), this is a classic player-development opportunity for us. As an organization, were going to provide that development opportunity for Tim.The decision nonetheless was made at the highest levels of the organization -- by Alderson and chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon -- and did not intimately involve the teams baseball-operations personnel. The Mets were one of 28 teams to attend Tebows showcase last week in Los Angeles.Tebow acknowledged his upcoming baseball journey is not one that will be necessarily easy.I know this is a tough game, Tebow said. But Im looking forward to putting in the work and I felt like this was the best fit.Tebow, who hasnt played organized baseball since his junior year at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, in 2005, has been working out with former big league catcher Chad Moeller in Scottsdale, Arizona, since Memorial Day. Tebow spent almost two hours last week at the Southern Californias Dedeaux Field running a 60-yard dash, shagging fly balls, throwing from the outfield and taking swings against former major league pitchers David Aardsma and Chad Smith in his audition for clubs.Tebow won the Heisman Trophy for the Florida Gators in 2007 and helped the team take two national championships.?He played professionally for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets from 2010 to 2012. He spent training camps with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles in 2013 and 2015, respectively, but never played in the regular season for those teams.Since 2013, Tebow has been a college football analyst for ESPN.?Alderson said Tebow will be excused a couple of days each week from fall instructional league to fulfill that commitment.Tim is committed to his role at SEC Network and ESPN this fall, Stephanie Druley, ESPN senior vice president, event and studio production, said in a statement. We have always been supportive of Tims athletic pursuits. His new schedule will allow him to continue as a college football analyst on SEC Nation this fall.Former major league pitchers Dallas Braden, who is now an ESPN analyst, and C.J. Nitkowski questioned how serious Tebow was about playing baseball based on the arrangement to give him excused days off each week.After Tebow participates in the fall instructional league, which primarily is for teenage prospects, Alderson is not ruling out sending Tebow to the Arizona Fall League or a winter league. First, the Mets want to better gauge Tebows readiness and determine whether it would be more beneficial to receive individual instruction during the offseason.Even if Tebow never reaches the majors, Alderson insisted this is a win for the Mets because of the example Tebows work ethic and character will set for the minor leaguers.Still, Alderson insisted Tebow has on-field potential.Any player evaluation starts with tools, Alderson said. From that standpoint, without grading everything out, suffice it to say Tim has been a great athlete. He has demonstrated more than rudimentary baseball skills. We think, with his commitment to success, that this is an opportunity that is worthwhile.In terms of power, in terms of arm, in terms of foot speed, all of those things, we think he can be a baseball player. I think that is underscored by his competitiveness and his determination to succeed and to improve. From our standpoint, this is another opportunity for us to develop a player and see where it goes. We understand most players dont make it to the major leagues.Alderson said theres no guarantee Tebow will be invited to major league camp during spring training. He also added Tebows signing is a standalone proposition and unrelated to Van Wagenen representing other Mets clients, including Yoenis Cespedes -- who has an opt-out this winter -- as well as Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom.Brodie represents a number of players on our team, Alderson said. But in the course of our conversations regarding Tim, none of those players were mentioned, none were in mind. I think Brodie is professional enough to keep all of those things separate.The Mets will not be able to capitalize on Tebows fame from a marketing standpoint, either. For that to happen, Tebow must be added to the teams 40-man roster and sign the group licensing agreement. MLB.com and Mets.com, in fact, are rejecting any fan who tries to make a custom Tebow jersey through the website.Tebow said he came close to pursuing baseball a year ago, but the Eagles?interest tabled it.Its been something that Ive been thinking about for a little while and came close to pulling the trigger on last year, Tebow said. Then, actually, when I was in the middle of going through a day of training for baseball, [then-Eagles coach] Chip Kelly called and then I had to figure that out. ... We all know how that turned out.Former Broncos teammate Eric Decker, now with the New York Jets, said he expected Tebow to be signed.When you have 30 scouts coming to your workout, someone is going to sign you, Decker said. Well see how he does next spring in whatever camp it is. Best of luck to him.I believe Tim has a big heart and hes a good person. Hes such a competitor that this is an outlet for him. But from the outside, I can see how it looks as a publicity stunt. I mean, hes got a good gig right now with the SEC Network. Im sure he could do a daily talk show if he wanted. Hes well-liked. I think this is him being competitive, wanting to get that fire again.Asked about his preferred position, Tebow said hell take his cue from the organization. But he noted hes a lefty thrower, so theres a limit.My best position is whatever they feel like it is, he said. I feel comfortable in the outfield. I feel comfortable at first base.What would Tebow deem success during his baseball pursuit? Is it major leagues or bust?I would consider success giving everything I have, he said.Decker said thats the kind of teammate that Tebow has been in the past and what he expects him to be in the future.Guys will have to respect what hes done during his tenure in the NFL and who he is and the college football player he was. Theres going to be mixed emotions (among his new teammates), Im sure, Decker said. Hes going to be a good teammate. I think hes going to be very respectful.Hes not going to come in with a chip on his shoulder or (say), Im Tim Tebow, heres the red carpet. Hes not that type of guy in my experience. Guys will respect his work ethic and the person.ESPNs Darren Rovell and Rich Cimini contributed to this report. Arizona Diamondbacks Gear . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Custom Arizona Diamondbacks Jerseys .com) - The Montreal Canadiens embark on their first road trip of the season as they head out west to battle the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. https://www.cheapdiamondbacksjerseys.us/ . LOUIS -- St. Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Arizona Diamondbacks Pro Shop . With the short-handed Warriors needing help from someone -- anyone -- to stop a three-game skid, ONeal returned from right knee and groin injuries that had sidelined him for four games and put up season highs with 18 points and eight rebounds. It was just enough to help lift Golden State to a 102-101 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby, meet Connor McDavid. Connor McDavid, meet Sidney Crosby.Oh, the NHLs most celebrated draft pick of the 2000s -- Crosby, back when he was The Kid -- and the most celebrated of the 2010s -- McDavid, whos succeeded Crosby in being The Kid, but isnt quite yet the man -- have already met in person.That handshake occurred a couple of years ago when McDavid played junior hockey in Erie, Pa., about 125 miles north of Pittsburgh. Crosby and Penguins co-owner Mario Lemieux, himself a former Canadian wunderkind, went to visit.But Crosby, arguably hockeys biggest star, and McDavid, hockeys brightest young star, havent met on the ice. Until now.Could be perfect timing, too.McDavids Edmonton Oilers, coming off a 2-1 win in Detroit and No. 2 overall in the Western Conference, take to the ice on Tuesday to face Crosbys Penguins, coming off a 3-0-1 road trip and No. 3 overall in the Eastern Conference. The meeting is perhaps the NHLs most intriguing matchup so far in a season thats only about a month old.While it will be a head-to-head meeting only if Oilers coach Todd McLellan and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan choose to match their top lines against each other, its the kind of competition that can drive a skilled player. And the teams they play for; the Oilers are off to a promising 9-3-1 start, including a 5-1-1 road record; the Penguins are 9-3-1, and are 5-0-1 on home ice.Now 29, Crosby can remember his early days in the NHL in 2005-06 and his initial matchups against players such as Peter Forsberg. Crosby knows McDavid will be compared to him before, during and after the interconference game at PPG Paints Arena.Your competitive side takes over in such games, Crosby said Monday. There are matchups like that every night, but some arent talked about as much as others. ... Competition is why you play, and what you love, obviously some (matchups) are talked about more than others, and (Tuesday) night will be one thats talked about more.ddddddddddddFor good reason, too. Despite his age, McDavid -- with his five goals and nine assists for 14 points -- is rapidly pushing the Oilers into a bracket with the NHLs better teams.Crosby, of course, is the primary reason why the Penguins won a second Stanley Cup last season and, despite missing the teams first six games to a concussion, leads the league with eight goals. Hes coming off a two-goal performance Saturday in the Penguins 5-0 win at San Jose, the team they defeated for the Stanley Cup in June.Left wing Carl Hagelin has played only 2 1/2 games on Crosbys line this season but isnt shy about offering his praise.Every time hes on the ice, he wants to make a difference, Hagelin said.The 19-year-old McDavid acknowledges looking up to Crosby while he was younger -- after all, he said, Crosbys already won basically everything there is to win -- two Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals, scoring titles, the Conn Smythe, the whole works.I dont pattern myself after him, but he is the best player in the world, McDavid told the teams website.Whether McDavid can someday ascend to being such a player, and theres every sign he can, hell get a chance to study the current No. 1 on Tuesday night.Crosby recalled the first time he took on Forsberg; the Penguins lost and he was a minus-5. He realized afterward he needed to compete, rather than just watch him.With Crosby and McDavid both on the same 200-foot long sheet of ice for the first time in the NHL, there could be a lot to see.Hes one of the bright young players in the league, Sullivan said of McDavid. That team is trying to take another step, and hes a reason why. ' ' '