Lima’s Lesson To Us All

There are very few big leaguers who are known for expressing just how much fun they’re having on the diamond while performing at a high level. Jose Lima, for better or worse, wore his heart on his sleeve. In 1999 Lima finished 4th in NL Cy Young votes posting a 21-10 record for the Houston Astros. At the end of the day, many will look to that season as his legacy. To me, it was the fact that he knew he was getting paid to play a game, and he tried to make everybody around him feel the same way. He was competitive yes, but he had fun in the face of competition. Several Phillies & Mets will attend services for Lima in Queens. Jose Reyes, Luis Castillo, Alex Cora, Fernando Tatis and Johan Santana are all reportedly going to attend services for Lima. I always hope that in life we can learn something when we lose a friend. When I think back to Jose Lima’s antics on the field, and his clubhouse nature, and the fact that despite his “showmanship,” he went out and won 21 games in 1999. ...