Jose Lima, a right-hand pitcher, who was a 20-game winner and an All-Star during a 13-year Major League career, died on Sunday, said the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was 37.Lima, who won 13 games with the Dodgers in 2004, died of a heart attack, according to the Aguilas Cibaenas, won a winter ball team, which had for Lima in the Dominican Republic.
"Lima was an exceptional human being. That is a great loss to the Dominican Baseball and the country," said Llenas.
With reference to his often colorful outings as "Lima Time", Lima posted his best season in 1999 when he was selected to the All-Star game as a Houston Astro. He went 21-10 in 35 starts with a 3.58 era for the NL Central champion Astros.
In 13 major league season was a native of the Dominican Republic with a 5.26 ERA 89-102. He had not pitched in the major leagues since a four-stop playing with the New York Mets in 2006.
"He was a man full of life, without any visible physical problems and with many plans and projects on the agenda," his wife, Dorca Astacio, told ESPNdeportes.com.
Lima went 46-42 with the Astros from 1997-2001, and he was a 20-game winner and an All-Star Team of Houston.
With the Dodgers in 2004 and 2005, Lima had a record of 13.5 with a 4.07 ERA. In the 2004 National League Division Series, beat Lima a five-hit shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals before a sold-out at Dodger Stadium. It was the Dodgers first post season win since Game 5 of the 1988 World Series.
He also spent two stints with Detroit and Kansas City.
"This is a shock for us because Lima was a young man who seemed well and think of no one," said Tomas Jiménez, director of the Aguilas Cibaenas.
