Jim Rooney

James J. Rooney

• Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 185 lb.

• School Pace University, County College of Morris, Cornell University

• Born ~1961

BR minors page

Biographical Information

Jim Rooney has been a minor league pitcher, a coach and a scout.

Rooney was the first overall pick of the January 1981 draft, taken by the Chicago Cubs, two selections ahead of Randy Milligan. He did not sign. In the June draft's secondary phase, the Baltimore Orioles took him 7th overall. He was 6-0 with a 2.08 ERA for the Bluefield Orioles. He tied for 7th in the Appalachian League in wins, was third with 76 whiffs (behind Danny Cox and Mark Silva) and lost the ERA title by just .02 to Cox. He was not named to the league All-Star team as Paul Cherry was picked as the top southpaw hurler.

Jim had a 8-8, 3.51 record for the 1982 Hagerstown Suns. He fell to 0-4, 9.20 with 25 hits in 14 2/3 IP for the 1983 Charlotte O's and allowed 13 runs in 8 2/3 IP on 11 walks and 12 hits for the 1984 Newark Orioles to finish his pro career at 14-12, 3.74.

He was pitching coach at Pace University in 1987 and at Rockland Community College from 1990-1992. He managed Fortitudo Bologna in Serie A1 in 1997 and 1998 (17-31 in 1998). He coached for the Somerset Patriots in 1999.

Rooney was a pitching coach in the Venezuelan League in 2000-2001. From 2000-2003, he was a scout for the Toronto Blue Jays and coached in the minors for them. In 2004, he joined the Milwaukee Brewers and has worked for them as a minor league pitching coordinator and a crosschecker.

Sources include Brewers press release