He shares the same Brain Type with Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Junior, Tony Gwynn, and David Ortiz. He is as strong as an ox, and Gary Sheffield (#5 FEIR) says of him, “I spent time with him recently in the cages, and he’s a natural. I absolutely believe in his ability to play in the bigs.” So what famous baseball player are we talking about? Tim Tebow.
Say what? Yes, we’re talking about the famed Christian football player who has since taken to broadcasting for ESPN after being cut from the New York Jets. For the past year now, Tebow has been training in Arizona and Los Angeles “to hone his hitting and fielding skills in a sport he has not played on a full-time basis since 2005.” That was when he was in high school as an all-state baseball player in Florida, hitting .494 as a junior.
So the question is, can Tim be successful in MLB? One thing we will tell you off-the-bat (no pun intended) is that, from a Brain Type’s perspective, Tim will be much more in his element swinging a bat then throwing a football. The #1 FEAR has proven to be among the top MLB players ever, as we can rattle off several other names like Victor Martinez, Robinson Cano, Manny Ramirez, Larry Walker, Bo Jackson, Roberto Alomar, Bobby Bonilla, Miguel Cabrera Adam Jones, and Yasiel Puig. These represent just a small cross-section of the potentially fabulous #1s. Utilizing their big body, gross-motor EA ‘dove’ skills, they generally hit for power, their swings being entirely fluid, generating terrific bat speed. Check out Tebow’s hitting the ball in the video included below. Notice his wide stance and compact swing. It is true to his Type, to be sure. Now, whether he can master the breaking ball is another question, or be a good infielder or outfielder ala fellow #1s Willie Mays or Barry Larkin.
Also, BTI Director Jon Niednagel, a long-time consultant in MLB, has additional concerns for Tebow making it to the Bigs. If he learns the proper swing, especially for his BT and size, his chances will much improve. Among many comments offered by Niednagel, he did caution comparing Tim to MJ Michael Jordan (#6 BEIR) and his MLB attempt. Among many dissimilarities, their differing Brain Types have very different body movements, as well as BT visual skills. Tebow shouldn’t have nearly the visual problems of MJ in baseball. Tim’s #1 design is one of 2 best spatially of all the 16 Types. (That’s a major reason why they excel at point guard in hoops.) Of course Tebow needs to make sure he has 20/20 vision, but his innate depth perception and quick read of balls should serve him well provided he can catch the ball on the run. FEARs need to work hard at securing the ball in the glove, since their hands are soft.
Had we met Tim back in high school, we would have pointed him in baseball’s direction, not the quarterback position in the NFL. (FEARs rank around 5 or 6 in BT for NFL QB.) Yet as BT students know, #1s excel at other football positions much more than QB. Now that he’s 29 years old, people are wondering if it is too late for Tim. Age shouldn’t be an issue, barring unforeseen injuries. Rather, the issue will largely be with his mind, as well as having a good batting coach who knows how to utilize Tim’s natural abilities. One helpful tip for Tim would be to often hit to the opposite field, thereby forcing him him to wait for the ball and hit with optimal power. (No design can hit better opposite field than the #1). Also, FEARs need to trust their right-hemisphere dominant instincts at the plate. Reasoning should be kept to a minimum and emphasis placed on seeing the ball all the way to the bat. When they over think too much, their game can go south.
Good luck, Tim!
Written by: Staff
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