The Mets Definitely Didn't Sign Tebow to Cozy Up to Yoenis Cespedes, Who Has the Same Agent

Sandy Alderson is not here for your Tebow conspiracy theories.

During a press conference announcing the acquisition of Tim Tebow, the Mets general manager disputed the notion that his team signed the former quarterback in effect to help themselves with re-signing Yoenis Cespedes this winter. Need the details? Well, Tebow shares an agent, CAA's Brodie Van Wagenen, with Cespedes. Cespedes can opt out of his contract with the Mets this offseason and seek bigger riches anywhere else he pleases. Perhaps, the thinking goes, the Mets signed Tebow as a favor to the agent, thus gaining some more leverage with Cespedes in a few months (or Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, who CAA represent as well).

"Brodie represents a number of players on our team but in the course of our conversations regarding Tim none of those players were mentioned, none were in mind," Alderson said. "I think Brodie is professional enough to keep all of those things separate…. From my standpoint this is a strictly standalone proposition. There were no other considerations taken into account with any other player."

Which makes some sense when you remember that the biggest determining factor in signing Cespedes if he opts out is which team offers the most money. You know, like pretty much every other free agent.

Still, these are the questions you answer when you're the organization that signs Tebow, who is 29 and hasn't played baseball since he was a junior in high school. And who will continue to work for ESPN and the SEC Network during the week even as he trains with the Mets and attends their instructional league.

Basically, the burden of proof is on you to show it's not a publicity stunt. And Alderson had his say on that, as well.

"While I and the organization, I think, are mindful about the novel nature of this situation, this decision was strictly driven by baseball," Alderson said. "This was not something that was driven by marketing considerations or anything of the sort. We are extremely intrigued by the potential that Tim has…. Aside from the age, this is a classic player development opportunity for us."

How this all goes? Who knows. Again, Tebow doesn't even have a position—he said he'll play wherever the Mets think is best. He might get an invite to major league camp next spring or he might not. He might go to the Arizona Fall League or play in a winter league, or just work out on his own with a coach. It's all to be determined.

All that's certain is that Tebow is under contract with the Mets on a minor league deal.

"I would consider success," he said, "giving everything I have."