Zimmerman, who attended Texas Christian University, played baseball in the French Elite League for one season with the Montpelier Barracudas. After taking some time off from baseball to earn his Master of Business Administration degree at Simon Fraser University, he played with the independent Northern League"s Winnipeg Goldeyes in 1997.
He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1999 to 2001 for the Texas Rangers. Independent baseball
In 1996, he pitched for the Canadian Olympic baseball team They failed to qualify for the Olympics.
Texas Rangers
Zimmerman was purchased from Winnipeg by the Texas Rangers in 1998 and played at both the A and Associate of Arts minor league levels.
In 1999 he made his way onto the Rangers Major League squad after a short stint at the American Automobile Association minor league level He became a very successful middle relief pitcher in the bullpen and even became an All-Star that season (his only All-Star appearance).
Zimmerman tied the record for most consecutive winning decisions to start a career with nine wins. In 2001, he became the Rangers" closer and amassed 28 saves in a season that culminated in the Rangers naming him the club"s Pitcher of the Year.
Over the three years from 1999 through 2001, he totaled 17 wins, 32 saves, and a 3.27 European Research Area in 2282⁄3 Intellectual Property in 196 games.
Following this trend of top performance, the Rangers rewarded Zimmerman with a three year contract worth over $10 million. Unfortunately, Zimmerman suffered a series of injuries that, as of 2008, have prevented him from throwing another pitch in MLB, beginning with a spring training injury in 2002 and continuing through three major surgeries on his elbow, including two Tommy John surgeries. He did manage a handful of minor league and Arizona League games, but never close to a full season and never at the MLB level
Following the end of this contract, which covered 2002 through 2004, the Rangers reinvested in Zimmerman with a minor league contract for the 2005 season.
Again Zimmerman suffered injuries that prevented his return to the field of play for the course of the entire season. Zimmerman elected to take the 2006 season off in hopes that his arm would naturally heal over the course of the season.
T. R. Sullivan, the Rangers" beat writer on MLB.com, called this decision "his last, best hope" for returning to playing baseball. Having not competed in a game since 2003, Zimmerman retired in 2006 and moved back to Vancouver, British Columbia.
In 2008, The Sports Network listed Zimmerman as retired and gives his career potential as, "After four years out with injuries, he may be done."
On January 18, 2006 Lone Star Ball, a Texas Rangers blog, named Zimmerman 46 on "The 50 Greatest Rangers of All Time" list.
Seattle Mariners
On April 7, 2009, Zimmerman came out of retirement, signing a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners. He spent the first several weeks of the season in extended spring training. Zimmerman, who had been plagued with injuries for most of his career, said this about his baseball abilities after sitting out for so long:
Zimmerman appeared in one game for the Arizona League Mariners, pitching two innings and giving up one run.
He has not pitched professionally since.
Jeff"s brother, Jordan Zimmerman, also played in the major leagues as a pitcher for the Seattle Mariners.
