Somehow, Tim Tebow keeps finding a way to counter his critics by doing something unexpected.
The former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback was named to the Class AA Eastern League All-Star team despite a rather unremarkable .270 batting average, five home runs and 33 RBI this season for the Binghamton (N.Y.) Rumble Ponies, a New York Mets affiliate.
Tebow, 30, was in the East squad's starting lineup Wednesday night, batting ninth as the designated hitter. In his first at-bat against West starting pitcher Beau Burrows, Tebow hit an opposite-field double.
That's no small feat either. Burrows, a first-round pick of the Detroit Tigers in the 2015 draft (22nd overall), is considered one of the Tigers' top pitching prospects. The 21-year-old right-hander has a 3.83 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 84 2/3 innings for Detroit's Class AA affiliate in Erie, Pa.
Tebow grounded out to shortstop in the fifth inning, flied out to left field in the seventh and, representing the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth, struck out swinging.
The East pushed a run across in the ninth and the game ended in a 4-4 tie.
Box score: Eastern League All-Star Game
Follow Gardner on Twitter @SteveAGardner
