Mets and Tebowmania: Can we all just calm down please?

Tim Tebow hit a walk-off home run the other night and now the whispers are should he be playing for the Mets this season? Please let me know if you read that sentence with a straight face

We’ve had Hulkamania with Hulk Hogan, we’ve had Linsanity with Jeremy Lin, and now, dare I say Tebowmania.

The other night, Tim Tebow playing in the Class A Advanced Florida State League hit a walk-off home run to give his team the victory. It was his third home run since being promoted from Class A Columbia and the world of social media blew up.

Comments around promoting Tebow were all the rage, saying he should be brought to the Mets. Mets GM Sandy Alderson was even asked in his second half kickoff press conference if there was a chance of the outfielder being promoted.

Alderson’s response:

"“… Never crossed my mind until about 10 days ago when somebody said it was likely to happen. … I don’t foresee that kind of scenario.”"

Can we all just take a step back here?

This is nothing against Tim Tebow. He should be commended for following a dream.

A long-term football career did not work out, and the New York Mets gave him an opportunity.

It doesn’t matter that he was likely given this opportunity based purely on his name, his drawing power and the marketing opportunity associated with him. Tebow is the only Mets minor league player – not no. 2 ranked SS Amed Rosario, not top 50 ranked 1B Dominic Smith – to be shown on the Mets’ MLB Shop website.

Tebow is taking advantage of the opportunity and that’s what you do with opportunity.

In 80-games so far this season between Class A Columbia (64 games) and Class A Advanced St. Lucie, Tebow is hitting .240 with 6 HRs and 33 RBIs.

Eighty games is half a season. Does that really call for a player to be called up to the Major League Baseball ranks?

If Tebow is to be promoted, let him move to AA this season. That would be a huge accomplishment for a player that never played any form of professional baseball.

And let us put Tebow’s stats in perspective. If we look at the entire Florida Coast League, Tebow’s stats in Advanced A ball are well behind the league leaders — because he hasn’t played there long enough.

Tebow has three homeruns in Advanced A ball, while the league leader has 16. Tebow has only had 53 at bats in Advanced A ball. Let Tebow get some more games, finish the season is Advanced A ball and let’s see where it goes from there. He’s 29 years old, and in some cases he’s 10 years older than some of his teammates. He might even want to ‘retire’ and go back to doing color analysis for the SEC network.

Next: Mets and Yankees potential trade partners?

Tebowmania is fine. He does great things for kids and for the community – especially kids with special needs. Full disclosure here: my son Alex is autistic and Tebow is his favorite player. He has a Mets jersey and a Jets jersey. Somehow, Tebow has a way to transcend the world of sports and connect with people he has never met.

This contributor has nothing against Tim Tebow. Let him pursue his Mets dream and let the Mets give him that chance. But like anything, it must be done in moderation so you don’t ruin it.

Let me know what you think. Use the hashtag #RisingApple and hit me up on Twitter @zito1972