Archive for October, 2016

Indians May Need Corey Kluber’s Best Madison Bumgarner Imitation in World Series

The Cleveland Indians don’t need Corey Kluber to be anyone other than himself.

He’s one of MLB‘s top-shelf arms, after all—a Cy Young Award winner in 2014, an All-Star in 2016 and a stud throughout this postseason. He’ll take the ball in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday with the faith of a title-starved city behind him.

Still, if Kluber could be Kluber with a dusting of Madison Bumgarner, the Tribe wouldn’t protest.

We’re using Bumgarner as shorthand for a starting pitcher who slings a team over his back and carries it across the October finish line. It’s what MadBum did in 2014 for the San Francisco Giants. And it may be what the Indians ask of Kluber, per ESPN The Magazine‘s Buster Olney:

The calculus could change if Cleveland wins the first two games at Progressive Field and wrests control of the series.

Assuming that doesn’t happen, however, manager Terry Francona will think twice before digging deep into his depleted rotation against a dangerous Chicago Cubs lineup.

Before we explore that, let’s recount what Kluber has accomplished this October.

Through 18.1 innings spread over three starts, the 30-year-old right-hander owns a 0.98 ERA with 20 strikeouts and has held opposing hitters to a .197 average.

He won his first two starts, in Game 2 of a division series against the Boston Red Sox and Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, logging 13.1 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts.

He absorbed his lone loss in Game 4 of the ALCS, yielding four hits, two walks and two earned runs in five innings. That start came on short rest, so you could argue it’s a cautionary tale.

It’s not as if Kluber was a gas can, however. He struck out seven and flashed the array of weapons—a power sinker, cutter and sweeping breaking ball—that make him one of MLB’s least comfortable at-bats.

Kluber has eclipsed 200 innings in each of the last three seasons. Durability is listed under the “special skills” section on his resume.

He’s also got that intangible quality—call it grit, call it moxie, call it what you will. It’s what Bumgarner exudes at his scowling, otherworldly best.

“Corey’s a tremendous competitor,” Indians closer Cody Allen said after Game 1 of the ALCS, per MLB.com’s Jane Lee. “It never looks like the game’s speeding up on him or it’s getting out of control, and that’s the sign of a true ace.”

After that win, the New York Post‘s Ken Davidoff conjured the Bumgarner comp, so we’re not pulling this from the speculative ether.

OK, now a few words about the rest of the Indians’ starting rotation.

Josh Tomlin has been a revelation, going 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA and 10 strikeouts in 10.2 innings. Trevor Bauer, however, is a question mark as he recovers from a drone-induced finger injury. Rookie Ryan Merritt is the lone lefty in the mix, but he’s made only two big league starts in his nascent career.

All-Star Danny Salazar is an intriguing X-factor. He hasn’t pitched since going down on Sept. 9 with a forearm strain, though, and can hardly be counted on.

That’s a lot of ifs and maybes. Kluber is a safe bet. Fortunately for the Indians, he’s got backup.

Allen and setup man Andrew Miller have combined for 19.1 innings of 10-hit, no-run ball with 33 strikeouts. In essence, they’ve made every Indians playoff game a five- or six-inning affair. If the Tribe have a lead late, forget about it.

Kluber, then, won’t necessarily have to flirt with complete games. Five or six strong frames may be all the Indians require with Miller and Allen waiting to finish the kill.

In that sense, Kluber could channel a combination of 2014 Bumgarner and the 2014 Kansas City Royals, the club Bumgarner vanquished that year in the Fall Classic.

The ’14 Royals, you’ll recall, had a shutdown bullpen headlined by Greg Holland, Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera that ruthlessly shortened contests. Add a thoroughbred No. 1 starter to that squad, and it probably would have won it all, as it went on to do in 2015.

Kluber should focus on being Kluber, comparisons and distractions aside. He’ll have his hands full against the Cubbies, who lead all postseason qualifiers with 48 runs scored.

If he’s looking for someone to emulate, however, he could do worse than MadBum.

Or, to put it another way, he couldn’t do much better.

    

All statistics accurate as of Monday and courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.

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World Series Game 1 Betting Preview: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians Odds

The two MLB teams with the longest droughts without winning a championship will square off in the 2016 World Series starting Tuesday in Cleveland.

The underdog Indians come into the World Series with a price of +170 (bet $100 to win $170) against the favored Chicago Cubs, who are -190 chalk (bet $190 to win $100) at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark to bring home their first MLB title since 1908.

The Game 1 pitching matchup pitting Cleveland’s Corey Kluber against Chicago’s Jon Lester opened as a pick’em and features two of the most dominant aces in the postseason this year.

Despite all the positive attention the bullpen for the Indians has gotten so far, Kluber has seemingly returned to his Cy Young Award-winning form from two years ago in these playoffs, allowing just two runs in 18.1 innings of work over three starts.

The hard-throwing righty has walked seven and struck out 20 after going 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts during the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Cubs have won all three of Lester’s starts this postseason, including two in the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers that both resulted in identical 8-4 scores to earn him NLCS co-MVP honors.

Lester has given up just two runs over 21 innings with two walks and 14 strikeouts following a rebound campaign in 2016 that saw him end up 19-5 with a 2.44 ERA after going 11-12 with a 3.34 ERA in 2015.

Cleveland has home-field advantage in the World Series by virtue of the American League beating the National League 4-2 in the All-Star Game at San Diego’s Petco Park on July 12.

However, no team has more road wins this year than the Cubs, who went 46-34 away from home in the regular season and have won three of five in the playoffs to date. And Chicago has a 69 percent chance of winning the World Series, according to PredictionMachine.com.

The teams split four meetings last year, with Lester and Kluber both walking away with no-decisions in the most recent game, won 2-1 by Chicago at Wrigley Field on a Kris Bryant walk-off home run. The Cubs have won six of the last eight head-to-head matchups dating back to 2006, according to the Odds Shark MLB database.

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Jason Kipnis Injury: Updates on Indians Star’s Ankle and Return

Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis suffered an ankle injury while celebrating his team’s American League Championship Series victory. However, he has been cleared to return.

Continue for updates.


Kipnis Active vs. Cubs

Tuesday, Oct. 25

The Indians announced that Kipnis is in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game.


Image of Kipnis’ Injury Revealed

Tuesday, Oct. 25


Francona Comments on Kipnis’ Injury

Monday, Oct. 24

According to the Associated Press (h/t Sports Illustrated), Indians manager Terry Francona said Kipnis rolled his ankle while embracing Francisco Lindor as the team celebrated its ALCS victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

The manager described the setback as a low ankle sprain.


Kipnis Has Been Essential Piece in Indians Lineup

Kipnis went through a brief down period in May, when his on-base percentage was just .306, but he bounced back with an .876 OPS in June and looked more like the hitter who was named to the All-Star Game in 2015. He finished the season with 23 home runs, 82 RBI and an .811 OPS.

The Indians have needed Kipnis’ production in the No. 2 spot in their lineup behind Carlos Santana as the primary leadoff guy and to help set the table for Lindor and Mike Napoli in the heart of the order.

Cleveland is fortunate to have the versatile Jose Ramirez, who had a breakout offensive season with a .363 on-base percentage and is capable of playing multiple positions in the infield, including second base.

However, the loss of Kipnis would have been devastating because of his importance to the lineup and underrated defense. FanGraphs‘ defensive value metric ranks Cleveland’s second baseman as the third-best defender at the position behind Boston‘s Dustin Pedroia and Detroit‘s Ian Kinsler.

The Indians need their full assortment of hitters in the World Series to support a rotation that features Corey Kluber, Trevor Bauer and Josh Tomlin. Kipnis is a key reason for Cleveland’s success in 2016.

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World Series 2016: Bold Predictions for Cubs vs. Indians Showdown

The waiting will come to an end for the Chicago Cubs or the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series. That much is a given.

Both teams have been able to achieve to a very high level to get to this point. With the perspective of time, the Cubs and Indians will both look at the 2016 season as a success. But in the short term, one team will end up thrilled and the other will end up disappointed at having come so close before losing the World Series.

The oddsmakers favor the Cubs to win their first World Series title since 1908. They are minus-190 favorites, according to Odds Shark, while the Indians are plus-170 underdogs.

Those odds will not matter a lick to the players on the field. The Cubs certainly had the more impressive regular season with 103 wins, but the Indians won the American League pennant by beating the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays.

The American League has long been considered the superior of the two major leagues, and that could leave the Indians in slightly better shape than many experts believe.

The World Series gets underway Tuesday night from Progressive Field in Cleveland, and the Indians will have the benefit of home-field advantage if the series goes seven games. Here’s a look at our key predictions for the way the World Series will play out:

1. The Cleveland Indians will jump out to a lead in the series. With their raucous fans helping out, the Indians will earn the victory in the Game 1 with Corey Kluber on the mound. 

Kluber is the Indians’ ace and he will get the best of Cubs starter Jon Lester. Kluber will dazzle the Cubs lineup by getting ahead in the count and putting the Cubs away with his devastating slider. 

Hope will spring eternal in Cleveland as the Tribe ride their stud and come away with the opening win.

2. The Cubs will show off their power in Game 2. This is a strong lineup that has its ups and downs in the postseason, but big hitters like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Javier Baez will flex their muscles and show the Tribe that they are ready for prime time and will make this a series.

3. The World Series returns to the North Side of Chicago for the first time since 1945, and the city is in an absolutely electric mood. While the Chicago White Sox won the World Series in 2005 after their long drought, that was a non-event in comparison to what the city is feeling with the Cubs playing for the big prize.

It’s a huge party at Wrigley Field, and the mood grows even brighter as the Cubs build a four-run lead in the middle innings.

However, the Indians are a never-say-die kind of team, and they cut the deficit to two in the top of the ninth. Still, with Aroldis Chapman striding in from the bullpen, there is nothing but confidence emanating from the Chicago dugout.

Even though Chapman reached 103 mph on the radar gun, the Tribe rallies for four runs in the ninth, thanks in large part to a mammoth Mike Napoli home run. Cody Allen closes out the ninth and there is woe in Wrigleyville as the Tribe take a 2-1 lead.

4. Joe Maddon is under the gun because he could go with Jake Arrieta or Lester in Game 4, but he chooses to give John Lackey the ball. Lackey has a history of World Series success with the Anaheim Angels and the Boston Red Sox, and he wants the ball. He fairly well demands it, and Maddon has faith.

Lackey gives up a run in the first inning, but he shuts the Tribe down for eight innings. Maddon swallows hard and gives the ball back to Chapman for the ninth, and this time he strikes out the side on 12 pitches as the Cubs square the series.

5. It seems that Game 5 is a must-win game for the Cubs, because they don’t want to go back to Cleveland trailing 3-2 and being in a position where they are forced to win back-to-back road games.

Nevertheless, it is the Indians who come out prepared and they attack the baseball in the early innings. They get big hits from Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana and Lonnie Chisenhall, and they build a four-run lead in the sixth inning.

Terry Francona gives the ball to Andrew Miller and he douses the Cubs bats before giving way to Allen. The Indians come away with a 6-3 victory and head home needing one win to clinch their first World Series title since 1948.

6. The Cubs are a bit bloodied, but they are not beaten. They go to Cleveland knowing they need just two wins in a row to become champions.

The Cubs get a lift from an unlikely source in Kyle Schwarber, who was activated from the disabled list before the start of the series. He has played sporadically to this point, but this time Maddon makes Schwarber his cleanup hitter.

The powerful left-handed hitter bashes two long home runs, and one swears they can see the resemblance to Babe Ruth as he rounds the bases. He certainly has the majestic stroke. The Cubs roll to a four-run win and square the World Series at 3.

7. The Cubs have a chance to go with Lester to close out the World Series, while the Indians are going to have to go with an array of pitchers since Kluber was on the mound for Game 5 in Chicago. He can give the Indians a couple of relief innings, but that’s it.

Francona works his bullpen masterfully, and the Tribe head to the ninth inning with a one-run lead. Baez legs out an infield hit to start the inning and steals second. After he’s bunted over to third base, he scores on an infield chopper by David Ross to tie the game. The Tribe can’t score in the ninth, and the seventh game goes to extra innings.

After two scoreless frames, Baez triples to right center and then pushes the envelope when he sees Jason Kipnis bobble the relay for a split second. His head-first slide allows him to score the go-ahead run. Maddon hands the ball to Kyle Hendricks—and not Chapman—for the fateful bottom of the inning.

The calm and cool Hendricks handles the assignment perfectly, and the Cubs break their long dry spell along with Cleveland’s hearts.

The Cubs become World Series champions, and Chicago throws a party that lasts until Thanksgiving!

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Jose Bautista Contract: Latest News, Rumors on RF’s Negotiations with Blue Jays

Right fielder Jose Bautista is set to become a free agent, but the Toronto Blue Jays will likely do what they can to keep their slugger around for as long as possible.

Continue for updates.


Toronto Makes Keeping Bautista a Priority

Monday, Oct. 24

On Monday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported the team is expected to extend qualifying offers to Bautista and designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. As Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Oct. 13, the qualifying offer will equal $17.2 million this year.

Scott MacArthur of TSN provided the latest update on Toronto’s plans for the two power hitters:

Bautista finished this past season with a .234 batting average and 22 home runs.

The 36-year-old missed time after suffering injuries to his toe and knee. He managed to play only 116 games during the regular season and appeared to be at less than 100 percent when he was in the lineup.

Prior to 2016, however, Bautista earned a spot in six straight All-Star Games, winning three Silver Slugger awards in that stretch. He also finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four times, totaling at least 35 home runs with 100 RBI in each of those years.

The right-hander has twice led the American League in home runs since joining the organization in 2009.

Whichever team signs the veteran outfielder will hope he can replicate his previous numbers after a down year that was mired by injuries.

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Edwin Encarnacion Contract: Latest News, Rumors on DH’s Talks with Blue Jays

Edwin Encarnacion has been a key member of the Toronto Blue Jays for the last seven-and-a-half seasons, but with the 33-year-old in the final year of his deal, he could be playing elsewhere in 2017.

Continue for updates.


Latest on Blue Jays’ Plans for Encarnacion Extension

Monday, Oct. 24

Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins made it clear Monday that Toronto will make a strong effort to re-sign Encarnacion, telling reporters that retaining him and fellow slugger Jose Bautista is a priority, per TSN’s Scott MacArthur.

At the very least, the Blue Jays will extend Encarnacion a qualifying offer, according to Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported Oct. 13 that the qualifying offer will be worth $17.2 million this offseason. Encarnacion would be a near-certainty to turn it down. Since he’s one of the best hitters available, he’ll be in a position to command much more on the open market.

The three-time All-Star said last Wednesday that the Blue Jays are his preferred destination:

It will be interesting, though, to see how team president Mark Shapiro chooses to handle both Bautista and Encarnacion.

During his days with the Cleveland Indians, Shapiro often shied away from signing aging veterans to pricey extensions, opting instead to invest in his younger players.

Last October, TSN’s Rick Westhead also reported Shapiro questioned Alex Anthopoulos’ decision to trade the Blue Jays’ best prospects in order to acquire David Price and Troy Tulowitzki. Anthopoulos ultimately decided against signing an extension with Toronto last year.

Encarnacion has been consistent the last five years—averaging just over 38 home runs and 110 runs batted in per season. At his age, though, the first baseman/designated hitter will soon begin to decline.

Miguel Cabrera and Albert Pujols are both cautionary tales for why it’s risky to pay significantly for sluggers who are into their 30s, no matter how impressive their track records are.

If Shapiro’s focus is on the long term, he and Atkins—who came over from the Indians as well—may have a definite ceiling for what they’re willing to offer Encarnacion.

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World Series 2016 Schedule: Dates, Game Times, TV Guide for Cubs vs. Indians

Very few World Series matchups in recent history offer more intrigue than Cleveland facing the Chicago Cubs in a series that will ultimately be remembered for one of these organizations ending a long championship drought.

But this would be a fantastic matchup without all of the historical context, and one you simply don’t want to miss. So let’s take a look at the championship schedule before breaking down both of these teams.

    

Cleveland

It was easy to overlook this Cleveland team coming into the postseason. They were dealing with a number of injuries, and they were facing the big bats of the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS. Surely, they would be steamrolled by David Ortiz, Mookie Betts and the star-laden lineup that Boston possessed.

Not so fast, folks.

Cleveland’s pitching, instead, dominated both Boston’s boppers and the big bats of the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS. Cleveland’s staff through eight games has an ERA of 1.77, a WHIP of 1.01 and 81 strikeouts in 71 innings.

Corey Kluber and Josh Tomlin have been fantastic as starters, giving up just five runs between them in five starts and 29 innings pitched. Reliever Andrew Miller has been basically unhittable as the team’s stopper out of the bullpen and has yet to give up a run. Closer Cody Allen hasn’t given up a run, either, and has five saves. 

The team’s bullpen, in general, has been superb. In the ALCS, Cleveland’s relievers gave up just four runs in 22 innings. In Game 3, the bullpen was required to throw 8.1 innings after Trevor Bauer had to be taken out of the game with a finger injury.

The result? Six relievers gave up just two runs and Cleveland won, 4-2.

In part, Cleveland’s bullpen has been so successful because manager Terry Francona doesn’t have strict roles assigned for his various components, instead using pitchers when he feels he needs them. It’s why a pitcher like Miller—who easily could fill the closer role—has found himself in the setup role, but he has also appeared in games in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

“Everybody (puts) the ego aside on this team,” reliever Bryan Shaw told Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch. “If guys were down there (saying) ‘I’m pitching my inning or I’m doing this,’ I don’t think we could have gotten to where we’re at right now.”

Cleveland’s bullpen has had to be superb—after Kluber and Tomlin, the team doesn’t have great starting pitching. But the team’s offense shouldn’t be an afterthought, either.

Carlos Santana and Mike Napoli provide the pop. Jason Kipnis, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez do a little bit of everything. Rajai Davis has been a revelation. Cleveland doesn’t have the bats that the Cubs possess, but they didn’t have the bats that the Red Sox and Blue Jays possessed, either.

But here they are. And once again, they’ll rely on their bullpen, their defense and timely hitting against a Cubs team that, on paper, is clearly more talented. 

 

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs were the best MLB team during the regular season, and it was never really in doubt. Few teams have the star power, depth and balance that the Cubs possess. 

Offensively, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo each hit over 30 home runs and 100 RBI, while Addison Russell added 21 dingers and 95 ribbies. Then there’s Javier Baez, who has hit .342 this postseason with one home run, four doubles, seven RBI and seven runs scored. 

And hey, for good measure, the Cubs also throw Ben Zobrist, Dexter Fowler and Willson Contreras at opposing pitchers, while Jason Heyward provides excellent defense in right field for the team. Good luck finding many weaknesses with this unit.

Oh, but it doesn’t end there. Players like Albert Almora Jr. and Jorge Soler are available off the bench, and Kyle Schwarber might return from a season-long injury to improve the team’s depth as well, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. And the ever-brilliant Joe Maddon is pulling the strings, and he always seems to know exactly what strings to pull with this lineup.

Of course, the team’s pitching is pretty stacked, too. 

The Cubs have a much more reliable postseason rotation than Cleveland, leaning on Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey. Lester has given up two runs in 21 postseason innings. Hendricks has given up just three runs over 16.1 innings. Arrieta and Lackey have been shakier this postseason but both had solid regular seasons and have October experience.

In the bullpen, Aroldis Chapman has also been a bit shakier, giving up three runs in eight innings pitched, though he does have three saves. Travis Wood and Carl Edwards, however, have given up one run in a combined 8.1 innings pitched, so Chicago’s bullpen has solid options as well.

Like Cleveland, the Cubs also play very good defense. And unlike Cleveland, which is without starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco and outfielder Michael Brantley, the Cubs are mostly healthy.

The argument for the Cubs is pretty simple: They’ve been the best team in baseball all year, they’re the better team on paper and their offense woke up against the San Francisco Giants. They were constructed to win a title, and they certainly feel they are capable of living up to those expectations.

“We’ve been believing it all year,” Cubs shortstop Addison Russell told Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal. “And the moment’s here.”

Indeed it is. Cleveland’s performance thus far has been magical, but the Cubs appear to simply be the better team.

      

Prediction

The Cubs will end their World Series drought, winning this matchup in six games.

   

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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Jon Lester, Corey Kluber Announced as Game 1 Starters for 2016 World Series

The pitching matchup for Game 1 of the 2016 World Series is set as the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians attempt to win their first World Series since 1908 and 1948, respectively.

According to the MLB and Indians Twitter accounts, Jon Lester will take the mound for the Cubs while Corey Kluber gets the ball for Cleveland at home Tuesday.

Both pitchers have excelled so far in the postseason. Kluber has posted a 0.98 ERA in three starts, while Lester has been just as good with a 0.86 ERA in the same number of games.

It was likely an easy choice for Indians manager Terry Francona. Injuries to his pitching staff have created a number of question marks about the postseason rotation, but Kluber has been Cleveland’s one constant throughout the year. The 2014 American League Cy Young Award winner had a 3.14 ERA this season, and his 227 strikeouts ranked fifth in the AL.

According to Zack Meisel of Cleveland.com, Josh Tomlin and Trevor Bauer will likely start Games 2 and 3 in some order, depending on Bauer’s health after suffering a pinky injury on his throwing hand.

The Cubs had a few more options for Game 1, including 2016 ERA leader Kyle Hendricks and 2015 Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. However, Lester has been as good as both of them this season with a 19-5 record and a 2.44 ERA.

He is also one of the few players in this matchup with World Series experience, having compiled a 3-0 record and a 0.43 ERA in three starts in the sport’s final round. He won two titles with the Boston Red Sox.

Arrieta will get the ball in Game 2, per Carrie Muskat of MLB.com.

While the rest of his teammates and fans were celebrating the National League pennant, Lester remained focused on the next goal, per JJ Stankevitz of CSN Chicago:

No matter who wins, Lester and Kluber are likely going to provide an entertaining duel in Game 1.

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Relive the Best Moments of Big Papi’s 20-Year MLB Career

For 20 years, David Ortiz was locked in a love affair with the Boston faithful and the rest of baseball fans across the country.

Relive some of the top moments from his Hall of Fame career.

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Tim Tebow Comments on Baseball Career, More in Good Morning America Interview

Former NFL player and aspiring baseball player Tim Tebow appeared on Good Morning America on Monday to promote his new book, Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life’s Storms, and spoke about playing baseball, remaining humble and maintaining a personal identity after football. 

“I’m having so much fun,” Tebow said of playing baseball. “You know what’s amazing? When you do something for the love of it. I’m so passionate about the game and pursuing it and playing every day.”

He also spoke about the perspective that helps him to remain humble.

“I think humility comes, not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less, meaning try to look for the people around you and what they need and how you can help them,” he said. “I think the greatest form of love is choosing the best interest of another person and acting on their behalf.”

And he touched on how he handled the end of his football career, after the game had been such a big part of his life for many years:

I’ve been told by a lot of different teams that I’m not good enough so how do you handle that? For me, it’s to be able to have a foundation of something bigger than yourself, understand what God says about you, that you are important, that you have a life of significance and you have a life of meaning. When you understand your purpose, that will totally change your identity.

You can see the full interview below:

Tebow, 29, is playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League after signing a minor league contract with the New York Mets in September. He is hitting .100 with one RBI and seven strikeouts in six games.

One scout told Mark Brown of Newsday that he didn’t think Tebow was a legitimate prospect, while another scout noted that he “doesn’t have too many years to perfect his skills” and “has too many things to learn.”

The former Heisman Trophy winner started his professional sports career as a quarterback with the Denver Broncos. He was a 2010 first-round draft pick of theirs and even led to a playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. But during his time as an NFL quarterback, he completed just 47.9 percent of his passes, which led to him quickly falling out of favor.

According to the New York Post (h/t NFL.com), NFL teams reportedly showed interest in Tebow if he would switch to playing tight end, but he reportedly refused to make the change, per Sports Illustrated’s Peter King. The Philadelphia Eagles gave him a shot in 2015 but cut Tebow before the season, as he failed to win the No. 3 quarterback job in Philly under then-head coach Chip Kelly.

He then pivoted to a media career before signing with the Mets. He also continues to work as an analyst on the SEC Network. 

    

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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