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Tim Tebow spoke with media at George M. Steinbrenner Field on Thursday night, before his team, the St. Lucie Mets, played the Tampa Yankees. Here is how it went.

Q: Have you ever played in Tampa, in any sport? Isn't your mom from Tampa?

Tebow: "Yes, Plant (High). And my grandma lived here until she passed away. I know I played here in a lot of baseball tournaments when I was young. But we didn't play in any state championships (here). Never played in the Bucs stadium."

Q: Do you enjoy meeting the fans you're drawing to games?

Tebow: "It's always nice to have support from fans or fans come out here and try to get entertained in a ballgame. But it's honestly not something that I really try to worry about or pay much attention to. I just try to stay focused on playing the game, having fun, and then if you get an opportunity to see the fans and say thanks, that's good as well."

Q: Is it an added bonus that you're playing in the Florida State League, in the state where you were raised?

Tebow: "Florida is home for me. I get to see family a lot more. I get to see friends a lot more. Just knowing people all over the state, it's nice to be able to catch up, so that's pretty cool."

Q: How committed are you to pursuing baseball until the end of the season, given your responsibilities to ESPN and the SEC Network?

Tebow: "I feel if you look at my actions and what I've been doing, I feel pretty committed."

Q: Will you play next season?

Tebow: "Yes, sir."

Q: Talk about the minor league grind.

Tebow: "The minor league grind, it isn't as much of a grind in this league as the last one, because of the traveling. But it's really not much of a grind if you really enjoy what you're doing every day. I try to have the mindset of remembering why I play the game and how fun it is every day, enjoy every moment and not just think about 'we're just going through the motions' or 'it's another BP,' or it's another long-toss session, but actually remember why I'm doing it and have fun. I think that takes away the edge of it being a grind and being a daily routine and just lets you have fun."

Q: You've been struggling at the plate lately. Have you hit a wall?

Tebow: "I just think facing good pitchers and also some days it just doesn't go through for you, too. I don't think I ever want to get comfortable to where I feel I'm in a rhythm, because this is the ultimate goal, you want to keep continuing to improve. I'm continually changing things, too, in my swing and rhythm and my timing in things, so sometimes when you're working on things, you might have to take a step back to a couple of steps forward when you get it done."

Q: What do you think about your critics, those who want you to fail?

Tebow: "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about it. If people want you to fail, then there are probably other things that are the root issue of that, and it's not me. I want to be someone who's a believer. A believer, first and foremost, in my God. A believer in my teammates, my abilities, why I'm here. A believer in people. I want to bring the best out of people, bring the most out of people, whether it's in relationships with my family, friends, everybody.

"You want to be someone who uplifts people. I want people's lives to be better because I'm in their life. I don't want their lives to be worse because I'm in it. That's something I take into every relationship, everything that I do. It doesn't matter that I'm talking to you right now. Hopefully, your day is better because of how I answered your questions. Hopefully, my teammates are better because of the way I'm going to go out and stretch with them for a minute. Everything you do, you have a chance for influence, which is one of the greatest things we can do in life, have influence over other people."

Q: Who was your biggest influence in convincing you to try baseball?

Tebow: "My dad. No question. He's probably the biggest influence on my life from when I was a little boy. He has the most passion and courage. He's the bravest person I ever met. He has given his life to helping people every single day. He just got back from Southeast Asia two nights ago. He's the man."

Q: You're about to turn 30. Do you feel 30?

Tebow: "I feel very young. I feel like a kid because I'm playing a kid's game."

Q: Did you see Michael Jordan play baseball in Jacksonville when you were young? Do you think you have something in common with him?

Tebow: "No. I would've loved to have seen him play. I don't know if we have something in common. We have a competitive itch that you have, and there's also a drive, that you don't want to live with the regret of why you didn't do something because of the thought of failure. I think that's something that hampers a lot of people, and it holds people back because they're afraid of the unknown, they're afraid of tomorrow, they're afraid of what people are going to say, they're afraid of what you all are going to say.

"And because of that, a lot of people won't strive for something. Striving and failing is not the worst thing. But one day, when you're looking back and you're 50 and you're thinking, 'Man, I wish I would have tried this and this,' in my opinion, that would be a pretty big regret."

Q: What do you want to say to your doubters?

Tebow: "I don't really have a message, because I don't have to let those people control me. They don't control my actions, what I get to do or how I treat people. I'm so thankful for that. That I get to pursue my dreams and my passions, to live out my life. You don't have to let other people control you."

Transcript from Tim Tebow's media session at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa 08/10/17 [Last modified: Thursday, August 10, 2017 6:20pm] Photo reprints | Article reprints

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