Tim Tebow, the former NFL quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner, is playing baseball in Hartford this week.
The Hartford Yard Goats play Tebow's team, the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Monday through Wednesday at Dunkin' Donuts Park.
"One of the great things about minor league baseball is that you never know who you may see play when you come to a Yard Goats game," Yard Goats president Tim Restall said. "Last season, we had several Major League players come through on rehabilitation assignments which was a huge bonus for our fans. We are excited that Tim Tebow will be playing at Dunkin’ Donuts Park with the Rumble Ponies and I’m sure he will love the experience of playing in Hartford."
The Rumble Ponies are the Double-A, Eastern League affiliate of the New York Mets.
"We are proud to be the Mets' Double-A affiliate, and it is an honor to host some of the top talent in the organization," Rumble Ponies president John Hughes told NBC Connecticut. "There is excitement every season, especially this year."
Tebow hit a home run in his first time at the plate this season but then went into a slump where he saw his batting average drop to .133.
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But he could be showing a reason to eventually get a promotion to Triple-A ball? Tebow hit his second home run of this season Friday followed by his third on Saturday. He is currently hitting .241 through 23 games with 12 RBI. Tebow has struck out 38 times.
Yard Goats Prepare Promotions, Giveaways for April and May
Yard Goats team members say it's hard not to pay attention to the buzz around Tebow's visit but they are focused on getting a win.
"There's buzz everywhere he goes and I wish him the best just like I wish every other kid the best in this game, but we're going to try to beat him," Yard Goats manager Warren Schaeffer said. "That's pretty much all there is to it. I'm sure there's going to be a ton of fanfare. It's fun for the guys to get more fun but other than that it's just another day."
Monday night's game also featured a prescheduled promotional giveaway. The first 1,500 fans will get a "Fancy Pants" bobblehead. Fancy Pants is the goat from Circle K Farms in East Hampton who served as the model for the Yard Goats' logo.
Tebow started in the minors last year playing in Single-A but moved up this season to Double-A. This is his first visit to Hartford, though the Yard Goats did play against Tebow last season in Binghamton.
