Tim Tebow is viewed by many as a winner, so fans of the Los Angeles Angels will be disappointed to hear that their team nearly drafted Tebow out of high school. Perhaps with Tebow, they wouldn't have needed to sign expensive, yet disappointing free agents like Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols.
Click here for a photo of Tebow playing high school baseball.
According to reports, the Angels were considering taking Tebow in 2005, when he batted .494 as a high school junior outfielder. He didn't play baseball in his senior season, in order to focus on a football career.
Red Sox scout Tom Kotchman, who was scouting for the Angels at the time, said Tebow was definitely a player the team was looking at. "We wanted to draft him, but he never sent back his information card."
Another Red Sox scout, Stephen Hargett, who worked with Kotchman on the Angels elaborated on what Tebow brought to the table.
"He had a strong arm and had a lot of power. If he would have been there his senior year he definitely would have had a good chance to be drafted. He had leverage to his swing. He had some natural loft. He had some good power. He was a good athlete. He had had enough arm for that position. He was a left-handed hitter with strength and some size."
Despite the constant mocking of his throwing mechanics and ability to play quarterback at the NFL level, Tebow seems to have made the right call. He is arguably the biggest name in American sports, a Heisman trophy winner at the University of Florida, and a BCS National champion.
He was a first round pick of the Denver Broncos in the 2010 NFL draft, and led them to a playoff appearance in 2011, in which they upset the Pittsburgh Steelers on their home field. He is currently on the roster of the New England Patriots.
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