Atlanta Braves general manager John Coppolella confirmed the teams interest in Tim Tebow and said the Braves have had multiple conversations with Tebows representatives as a step toward signing him to a professional baseball contract. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys .Coppolella called a potential Tebow signing a low-risk investment, and said the Braves interest is rooted in Tebows promise on the field rather than his ability to sell tickets. Tebow is well-known among fans in Southeastern Conference country from his tenure as a Heisman Trophy winner and two-time national championship quarterback under Urban Meyer with Florida.We are interested in Tim because of his potential as a baseball player, not as a gate attraction, Coppolella said during the Braves series with the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. We have spoken with his representatives multiple times and all parties involved want this to be a pure baseball thing on every level.Tebow, 29, worked out for 46 scouts representing 28 teams last week in Los Angeles. Among those in attendance were Braves special assistant Roy Clark and amateur scouting director Brian Bridges.The Braves interest in Tebow was first reported by ESPNs Pedro Gomez and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.Tebow, who hasnt played organized baseball since his junior year at Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida, in 2005, has been working out with former big league catcher Chad Moeller in Scottsdale, Arizona, since Memorial Day. Tebow spent almost two hours last week at the USCs Dedeaux Field running a 60-yard dash, shagging fly balls, throwing from the outfield and taking swings against former major league pitchers David Aardsma and Chad Smith in his audition for clubs.Brodie Van Wagenen, Tebows baseball agent at CAA, told reporters that several clubs stayed after the workout to meet face-to-face with Tebow. The Colorado Rockies are reportedly another team with interest in the former quarterback.Tebows representatives would like him to sign a contract in time to attend the instructional league and possibly play in the Arizona Fall League this offseason before he joins a minor league affiliate next spring. Tebow also wouldnt rule out the possibility of playing winter ball this offseason to get at-bats.If the Braves can agree to terms with Tebow, it will rekindle an organizational tradition of signing high-upside, multisport athletes that began under former general manager John Schuerholz in the 1990s. Schuerholz, who is now the Braves vice chairman, signed Deion Sanders as a free agent in 1991 and brought Brian Jordan to Atlanta through free agency in 1998. Sanders is a Pro Football Hall of Famer and Jordan spent three years in the NFL as a safety with the Atlanta Falcons.During Schuerholzs previous tenure as general manager in Kansas City, the Royals chose Bo Jackson of Auburn in the fourth round of the draft. Jackson made the 1989 American League All-Star team as an outfielder with the Royals and was a Pro Bowl running back with the Oakland Raiders in 1990. Pittsburgh Penguins Pro Shop . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Penguins Jerseys 2019 . 8 Kansas to a 64-63 win over Texas Tech on Tuesday night. The freshman from Vaughan, Ont. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. Match factsDecember 9, 2016 Start time 1420 local (0320 GMT)Big pictureLittle more than 18 months after Australia belted New Zealand in the World Cup final at a heaving MCG, the two sides return to the scene of that decider with much less on the line. Strong Australian victories in Sydney and Canberra have sealed the Chappell-Hadlee series and also given the hosts a spring in their step after the humiliation of a Test series loss to South Africa. Where more than 90,000 people turned up to the aforementioned final, the expected crowd for Friday is closer to 25,000. For players on both sides, and the administrators who run their respective cricket boards, this will be a stark reminder of how much difference context can make to what is ostensibly the same match: same teams, same venue, similar time of year.Having started the series with the sideshow of Glenn Maxwells punishment for speaking out of turn, Steven Smiths Australians have produced a pair of well-rounded displays. In addition to hundreds by the teams leaders Smith and David Warner, the likes of Travis Head, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins have all contributed neatly. Such a broad spread of fruitful performances is the sort of thing Kane Williamson was hoping for when his side crossed the Tasman, but they arrive in Melbourne without having yet done so. In particular the New Zealand bowlers have failed to make a sustained impression, something they will undoubtedly be eager to address in Melbourne.Form guideAustralia: WWLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)New Zealand: LLLWLIn the spotlightHaving showcased his outlandish batting stance at the SCG, George Bailey was shuffled down the batting order in Canberra and unable to make an impact on the match. He was absent, too, from the back end of Australias World Cup campaign due to the return of Michael Clarke, and will be eager to make his presence felt this time around. The method he has adopted at the batting crease is bound to cause consternation for being so unorthodox, and the only way to silence the doubters will be to make runs on a big stage while utilising it. At the same time Bailey can shore up his place with numerous other hungry performers - not least Glenn Maxwell and Usman Khawaja - currently missing out on a spot.While his pace has been up from last summer, Trent Boult has again been unable to dictate the course of an encounter between Australia and New Zealand iin the way he so memorably did during their World Cup group match at Eden Park in 2015. Pittsburgh Penguins Gear. To some degree this has been because the hosts have played him well, but there has also been an issue of the ball swinging only fleetingly for one of the games most gifted exponents of conventional swerve. Had the edge he procured from David Warners bat in Canberra gone his way, things may have been different, but for now Boult will hope to atone with wickets and influence in Melbourne.Team newsMitchell Starc may be given a rest ahead of the Test series against Pakistan, while Glenn Maxwell will also be eager for an opportunity to play in front of his home crowd.Australia (possible) 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch, 3, Steven Smith (capt), 4 George Bailey, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Matthew Wade (wk), 8 James Faulkner, 9 Adam Zampa, 10 Pat Cummins, 11 Josh HazlewoodLockie Ferguson is a decent chance to return for his second game, possibly at the expense of Matt Henry. James Neesham is still icing the arm struck by Starc in Canberra and should he pull up sore Henry Nicholls would get a call-up.New Zealand (possible) 1 Tom Latham, 2 Martin Guptill, 3 Kane Williamson (capt), 4 Jimmy Neesham, 5 Colin Munro, 6 BJ Watling (wk), 7 Mitchell Santner, 8 Colin de Grandhomme, 9 Lockie Ferguson, 10 Tim Southee, 11 Trent Boult.Pitch and conditionsMelbournes weather is typically changeable this week, but the MCG pitch looks brimful of runs ahead of its first international of the summer.Stats and triviaAaron Finch averages 51.50 at the MCG, where he has scored 412 runs in eight innings. Warner averages only 21.75 here, with 174 runs in eight innings.Mitchell Starc has 14 wickets in six ODIs at the MCG, at 14.85 apiece.Quotes I think theyve got world-class players, when you get 370 its always going to be hard to chase down, we batted really well and they probably didnt bowl as well as theyd like, which was the same for us two weeks ago when we didnt bowl or bat as well as wed have liked. Australias coach Darren Lehmann reflects on how much has changed in a weekWe just want to get better. We want to improve from those last two performances. We werent at our best and if we can do a few things better and put them under some pressure well be better off for it.BJ Watling, the New Zealand wicketkeeper ' ' '