, ▁ 1 9 6 5 , ▁as ▁an ▁amateur ▁free ▁agent . ▁He ▁played ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Card inals ' ▁minor ▁league ▁system , ▁then ▁was ▁draft ed ▁by ▁the ▁C ubs ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁in ▁the ▁Rule ▁ 5 ▁D raft . ▁ ▁Pl um mer ▁spent ▁nearly ▁all ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch ▁and ▁catch ing ▁in ▁the ▁b ull pen ▁in ▁Chicago ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁rules ▁on ▁sending ▁Rule ▁ 5 ▁draft ed ▁players ▁to ▁the ▁minor ▁le agues . ▁Pl um mer ▁made ▁his ▁major ▁league ▁debut ▁at ▁age ▁ 2 1 ▁on ▁April ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁with ▁the ▁C ubs ▁in ▁a ▁ ▁road ▁loss ▁to ▁the ▁Card inals . ▁Pin ch - h itting ▁for ▁Ch uck ▁H arten stein , ▁he ▁struck ▁out ▁against ▁Hal ▁Gil son . ▁He   had ▁only ▁one ▁more ▁at - bat ▁that ▁season ▁and ▁played ▁in ▁just ▁two ▁games . ▁ ▁Tr aded ▁to ▁the ▁Red s ▁for ▁Ted ▁A bern ath y ▁on ▁January ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁Pl um mer ▁spent ▁the ▁year ▁at ▁Tri ple - A ▁Indian apolis . ▁He ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁min ors ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 0 , ▁but ▁was ▁called ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁p enn ant - win ning ▁Red s ▁in ▁September , ▁long ▁enough ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁four ▁games ▁with