Tim Rumer realized lifelong dream in pros, saw 8 seasons

Tim Rumer expected to go around the 10th round of the draft, he told The Duke Chronicle in June 1990. Instead, the Duke hurler got taken by the Yankees two rounds sooner, in the eighth.

As for why he signed, Rumer had a simple response for The Chronicle.

"I signed because I wanted the opportunity to fulfill a life-long dream of playing major league baseball," Rumer told The Chronicle.

Rumer went on to play in eight professional seasons. He made AAA, but he never made the majors. He has, however, gone on to a major league-connected career in baseball - as a business manager for the major league glove supplier Mizuno.

Rumer's career began that year in 1990, taken by the Yankees 219th overall out of Duke.

Rumer started his career with the Yankees in the rookie Gulf  Coast League. Among his new teammates there was future Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera. In his 2014 memoir "The Closer," Rivera recalled comparing his fellow pitchers, including Rumer, to himself.

"I watch these guys throw and I figure the radar gun is about to break," Rivera wrote, "they are throwing so hard. Rumer has a curveball that breaks about two feet."

Rumer provided his own 1990 recollections of Rivera in 2011 to ESPN.

"He looked the same, with maybe a little more hair," Rumer told ESPN of Rivera. "He was a quiet, reserved guy, who went about his business and did his work."

On the field, Rumer went 6-3, with a 1.70 ERA over 12 starts. He moved to high-A Fort Lauderdale for 1991 and then high-A Prince William in 1992. He also got a one-game look at AAA Columbus in 1992. He pitched a scoreless inning.

He was out injured all 1993, then returned in 1994 to play at AA Albany-Colonie. He went 8-10 over 25 starts, with a 3.11 ERA.

Rumer played all of 1995 at Columbus, then split 1996 between Columbus and AA Norwich. He started 1997 at Columbus, then moved to the Astros and AA Jackson. He played his final season in 1998

Rumer then made his way to Mizuno. In 2014, he spoke to Marketwatch as the company's director of product development for ball gloves. bout working to make a lighter leather and the company's proprietary way to break in gloves faster.

• Duke Chronicle, June 14, 1990: Yankees select Rumer in eighth round of amateur baseball draft
• ESPN, Sept. 14, 2011: W2W4: Mariano Rivera goes for 601
• The Closer, Mariano Rivera, 2014: Gulf Coast Revelation
• Marketwatch, Oct. 21, 2014: Is this the glove of the future?

More: The 1990 Tampa Yankees

1990 Minor League Tally
Players/Coaches Featured:3,075
Made the Majors:1,128-36.7%
Never Made Majors:1,947-63.3%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 467
10+ Seasons in the Minors:280