José Lima
José Desiderio Rodriguez Lima (September 30, 1972 – May 23, 2010) was a Dominican right-handed pitcher who spent 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Detroit Tigers (1994–1996, 2001–2002), Houston Astros (1997–2001), Kansas City Royals (2003, 2005), Los Angeles Dodgers (2004) and New York Mets (2006). His best year in the majors was 1999, when he won 21 games for the Astros and pitched in his only All-Star Game.
| José Lima | |
|---|---|
Lima in 2004 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: September 30, 1972 Santiago, Dominican Republic | |
| Died: May 23, 2010 (aged 37) Pasadena, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| Professional debut | |
| MLB: April 20, 1994, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| KBO: March 29, 2008, for the Kia Tigers | |
| Last appearance | |
| MLB: July 7, 2006, for the New York Mets | |
| KBO: June 25, 2008, for the Kia Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 89–102 |
| Earned run average | 5.26 |
| Strikeouts | 980 |
| KBO statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 3–6 |
| Earned run average | 4.89 |
| Strikeouts | 28 |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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His remarkably animated displays of emotion on the mound made him a fan favorite, but also drew the ire of opposing teams. He was known for his flamboyant celebrations after his victories in the face of opponents. Due to his indulging in musical pursuits beyond baseball, he was once described by The New York Times sportswriter Ben Shpigel as "the national anthem-crooning, towel-waving merengue singer who moonlights as a right-handed pitcher".