Jose Lima
IT'S LIMA TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
2000 was also covered by Showdown. There he fell off a cliff, leading the league in homers allowed, and his chart on that card shows it.
Jose Desiderio Rodriguez Lima technically debuted in 1994, but that was only a few appearances and for only 6.2IP total, so we'll skip to 1995 for his true rookie campaign. More of a short term option in the rotation, he shows pretty average stuff across the chart.
The Tigers saw Lima more of a relief pitcher in '96. I'd look miserable too if I was being mishandled on the Tigers. After the season, Lima was part of a 9 player trade that sent him south to Houston.
Starting out in Houston with a better looking card, but still relegated to the bullpen. He'd get his first taste of postseason baseball, where he'd pitch just a scoreless inning against the Braves in the NLDS.
1998 finally had Lima where he belonged in the rotation. He responded with a solid card with 7IP, 5 control and a not too shabby chart. He also pitched his only career shutout.
The OG Showdown cards are a bit hit-or-miss with Lima from here. His 1999 season is covered. There he made his only all star team and finished 4th in Cy Young voting with a career best 21 Wins and 187 Ks. He'd get another crack at the Braves in the playoffs, this time as a starter, but took the L in Game 2 and once again the Braves left Houston in the dust.
2000 was also covered by Showdown. There he fell off a cliff, leading the league in homers allowed, and his chart on that card shows it.
2001 did not feature any Lima cards, so that's where we will step back in. Bit of a so-so start with a so-so card, so the Astros saw fit to trade him back to Detroit.
Back with the Tigers, Lima had upticks across the board. But, being back with the Tigers, trouble was on the horizon...
The 2002 Tigers were awful, and just one season away from their embarrassing 119 loss 2003 run. During their '02 failures, the Tigers saw the production of +1 control Lima and figured they can do better and released him. Being cut by one of the worst teams in baseball didn't help Jose's self-esteem, where he proclaimed he must be the worst pitcher on Earth.
2003 was when the OG Showdown cards pick back up. Despite his proclamation of being the worst, the Kansas City Royals still signed Lima, who responded with a respectable 8-3 mark in his limited use.
2004 was also covered, chronicling his time with the Dodgers, where he'd go 13-5 and have his best season since his Houston days. There, he'd reach the postseason and face the Cardinals in the NLDS, where he'd have the greatest game of his career, pitching a shutout in Game 3 against the future NL pennant winners.
As a free agent, Lima ended up with the Royals in 2005. Forgettable run in KC.
Lima latched on to the Mets with a minor league deal in '06. Bad chart to go with just a 3 control led him to losing all four of his starts in Queens. After being DFA'd, he never returned to the majors, ending his professional career in the KBO in 2008 and the independent scene in 2009.
Jose Lima had a few bright spots in his career, and was best known for his zany personality that entertained fans and sometimes irked the opposition. Unfortunately, Lima died of heart complications in 2010. His friend, David Ortiz, dedicated his win the that season's Home Run Derby to Lima.
