| Jim Baumer | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Baumer circa 1957 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born:(1931-01-29)January 29, 1931 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
| Died: July 8, 1996(1996-07-08) (aged 65) Paoli, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: September 14, 1949, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| NPB: April 6, 1963, for the Nishitetsu Lions | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: April 27, 1961, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| NPB: 1967, for the Nishitetsu Lions | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .206 |
| Home runs | 0 |
| Runs batted in | 2 |
| NPB statistics | |
| Batting average | .251 |
| Home runs | 82 |
| Runs batted in | 267 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
James Sloan Baumer (January 29, 1931 – July 8, 1996) was an American professionalbaseball player,scout, and front office executive. A right-handed-hittinginfielder born inTulsa, Oklahoma, Baumer was a graduate ofBroken Arrow Senior High. During his active career, he stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 185 pounds (84 kg).
Baumer had a highly unusualMajor League playing career. A power-hittingshortstop, he was signed by theChicago White Sox for $50,000 as a "bonus baby" at the age of 18 in 1949, days before theNew York Yankees signed fellow Oklahoma prospectMickey Mantle for $1,500.[1]
The bonus rule at the time forced Baumer to start his career in the major leagues with Chicago, where he hit .400 (fourhits in 10at bats in 1949, including adouble and atriple). He then disappeared into theminor leagues for the decade of the 1950s, and did not return to MLB until, as a 30-year-old, he had a brief trial with the1961Cincinnati Reds. Baumer appeared in ten of Cincinnati's first 13games, eight as the Reds' startingsecond baseman, but collected only threesingles andbatted .125. The day of his last MLB game, April 27, 1961, the Reds acquired second basemanDon Blasingame in a trade with theSan Francisco Giants. Baumer was traded to theDetroit Tigers forfirst basemanDick Gernert on May 10, and returned to the minor leagues.
Overall, Baumer batted .206 in 18 MLB games and 34 at bats, with tworuns batted in. After his big league career, Baumer played for theNishitetsu Lions in Japan from1963 until1967.
When his playing career ended, Baumer became ascout with theHouston Astros andMilwaukee Brewers, and was promoted to Milwaukee's director of scouting in1974. The following season, he succeededJim Wilson as the Brewers'general manager. Baumer's most successful transaction during his three-year tenure as GM was his acquisition offirst basemanCecil Cooper from theBoston Red Sox following the1976 season. However, the Brewers struggled on the field, and after their eighth straight losing season in Milwaukee in1977, Baumer was fired and replaced byHarry Dalton.
He then joined thePhiladelphia Phillies as a scout, and was promoted to director of the Phils' scouting andfarm system operations in 1981. Two laters later, Baumer was named a team vice president. His role diminished after a front-office purge in1988, but he remained with the Phillies as an area scout.
Baumer died at age 65 in the Philadelphia suburb ofPaoli, Pennsylvania.
· Baseball Reference · Fangraphs · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac| Preceded by | Milwaukee BrewersGeneral manager 1975–1977 | Succeeded by |