Jose Lima was a charismatic and flamboyant pitcher who spent 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with five different teams. He was best known for his 1999 season with the Houston Astros, when he won 21 games and made his only All-Star appearance. He also pitched the Dodgers to their first playoff win in 16 years in 2004. He was nicknamed “Lima Time” for his animated displays of emotion and celebration on the mound, which endeared him to fans but annoyed some opponents. He was also a talented singer who performed the national anthem and merengue songs at various events. He died of a heart attack on May 23, 2010, at the age of 37.
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Lima’s Early Life and Career
Lima was born on September 30, 1972, in Santiago, Dominican Republic. He grew up poor and wanted to be a singer, but his father, a former baseball player, encouraged him to pursue a career in pitching. He signed with the Detroit Tigers at the age of 16 and made his MLB debut in 1994. He struggled in his first three seasons with the Tigers, posting a 9-22 record and a 5.92 ERA.
He was traded to the Houston Astros in 1996 and found his groove in 1998, when he went 16-8 with a 3.70 ERA. He helped the Astros win a franchise-record 102 games and reach the playoffs that year. He followed that up with a stellar 1999 season, when he led the National League with 21 wins and had a 3.58 ERA. He was selected to the All-Star Game and finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting. He became a fan favorite in Houston for his energetic and entertaining style of pitching, which he called “Lima Time”.
Lima’s Decline and Comeback
However, Lima’s success was short-lived. In 2000, he had a disastrous season, losing 16 games and leading the league with a 6.65 ERA and 48 home runs allowed. He was traded back to Detroit in 2001, where he continued to struggle. He was released by the Tigers in 2002 and pitched for an independent league team in Newark, New Jersey.
He returned to MLB in 2003 with the Kansas City Royals, where he had a brief resurgence. He started the season with a 7-0 record and a 2.17 ERA, but suffered a groin injury that derailed his performance. He finished the season with an 8-3 record and a 4.91 ERA.
He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 and had another comeback year. He went 13-5 with a 4.07 ERA and pitched a complete-game shutout against the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, giving the Dodgers their first playoff win since 1988. He also sang the national anthem before Game 4 of the series.
Lima’s Final Years and Death
Lima returned to Kansas City in 2005, but had a poor season, going 5-16 with a 6.99 ERA. He signed with the New York Mets in 2006, but only made four appearances before being released. He then played for an independent league team in Long Beach, California, and for the Kia Tigers in South Korea.
On May 23, 2010, Lima complained of chest pain to his wife in the middle of the night. She thought he was having a nightmare, but soon realized he was having a heart attack. She called 911, but it was too late. Paramedics arrived at his Pasadena home and tried to revive him, but he was pronounced dead at Huntington Memorial Hospital.
According to ESPN, Lima had no history of heart problems and had passed a physical exam before signing with Kia Tigers in 2008. His death shocked and saddened the baseball world, especially his former teammates and fans.
Lima’s Legacy
Lima was remembered as one of the most colorful and charismatic personalities in baseball history. He had a passion for the game and for life that was infectious and inspiring. He brought joy and excitement to every game he pitched and every song he sang.
He was also one of the most successful Dominican pitchers of his era, winning 89 games in MLB and paving the way for other stars from his country. He was honored by the Dominican Republic government with a state funeral and by MLB with tributes from various teams.
He is survived by his wife Dorca Astacio, whom he married in 2007, his son Jose Jr., whom he had from a previous marriage, and his sister Eloisa, whom he wrote letters to throughout his life He also had a daughter, Alexandra, who died of leukemia in 2007 at the age of 6.
Lima’s life and death were the subject of a documentary film, Letters to Eloisa, directed by Adriana Bosch and narrated by Alfred Molina, which premiered on PBS in October 2021. The film features interviews with Lima’s family, friends, and colleagues, as well as excerpts from his letters to his sister.
Lima’s motto was “Believe in yourself and have fun.” He lived by those words and left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. He was a unique and unforgettable figure in baseball history. He was Lima Time.
