José Desiderio Rodriguez Lima (September 30, 1972 – May 23, 2010) was a Dominican right-handed pitcher who spent thirteen 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.
A flamboyant free spirit, he was best known for coining all his pitching appearances Lima Time. His overly animated displays of emotion on the mound made him a fan favorite, but also drew the ire of opposing teams. 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."
Death Of Jose Lima
Jose Lima died at age 37 from a massive heart attack at Huntington Memorial Hospital on May 23, 2010. He had suffered from cardiac problems. His wife said he complained of excess gas while sleeping the night before but she thought he was just having a nightmare.