Jose Lima

Sept. 30, 1984: Yankees 9 – Tigers 2

W: Dennis Rasmussen (9-6) – L: Randy O’Neal (2-1) | Boxscore

Record: 104-58 — 15 games up on Toronto

Highlights

O’Neal started and lasted only three and two-thirds, getting knocked around for nine hits, four walks and seven runs.

Bárbaro Garbey, Chet Lemon and Doug Baker each had two hits.

Doug Bair, Aurelio López, Bill Scherrer and Willie Hernández each pitched an inning of post-season tune up. Sid Monge made his final big-league appearance: one inning, two runs, two hits and a walk.

Miscellany

Venue: Yankee Stadium
Umpires: HP – Al Clark, 1B – Mike Reilly, 2B – Don Denkinger, 3B – Rich Garcia
Time of Game: 2:35
Attendance: 30,602

Birthdays

Travis Demeritte, Danny Worth, Carlos Guillen, John DeSilva, Scott Lusader, Dan Gonzales and the late Jose Lima, Johnny Podres and Ben Taylor

Today’s Grid

⚾️ Immaculate Grid 547 9/9 — Rarity: 74

See you tomorrow.

Jose Lima Dies at 37

Who knew that when Jose Lima was called up to the Tigers in 1994 he would become a 20-game winner and a big-league character? Lima, whose best seasons in the majors came as a member of the Astros, died this morning at his home in Los Angeles of an apparent heart attack. He was just 37 years old.

The cause of death was ruled a heart attack, according to his wife, Dorca Astacio.

“Jose was complaining while sleeping and I just thought he was having a nightmare,” Astacio told ESPNdeportes.com. “I called the paramedics, but they couldn’t help him.”

Lima signed with the Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1989 and arrived in Detroit during the 1994 season, appearing in just three games. In 1995 he was primarily a starter for the last club Sparky Anderson would manage. Lima posted as 3-9 record with 6.11 ERA. The following year he split time between the rotation and the bullpen finishing at 5-6 with three saves.

On December 10, 1996, Tigers GM Randy Smith sent Lima, Brad Ausmus, Trever Miller, C.J. Nitkowski and Daryle Ward to the Astros for Doug Brocail, Brian Hunter, Todd Jones, Orlando Miller and cash.

Continue reading “Jose Lima Dies at 37”

Memories of Enron Field and Loose Tigers Connections

For a two unfortunate years, I was a resident of the greater Houston metroplex. In fact, it’ll be 10 years this December that I moved there (and it was seven years ago this week that I escaped).

My stay in Houston coincided with the April 2000 opening of a new baseball stadium, then Enron Field, site of this weekend’s interleague series between the Tigers and Astros. Meanwhile, the Tigers were moving into Comerica Park.

Continue reading “Memories of Enron Field and Loose Tigers Connections”

Happy Birthday to Jose Desiderio Rodriguez Lima

Lima Time is 36 today.

Perhaps he’s enjoying the free sopapilla he used to recommend as a pitchman for Houston restaurant chain Casa OlÃ©. (As a former Houston resident, I got to see those commercials as often as FSN Detroit viewers see Belle Tire and Cornerstone Schools ads.)

For the record, here’s his, uh, record as a Tiger: 17-32, 7.56 ERA.

Feliz cumpleaÃ±os, Jose.