Jose Lima passed away on sunday

Jose Lima lived on and off the baseball field. The pitcher could deliver a fastball, leaving a trail of fun and laughter known as "Lima Time" wherever he went.



The All-Star that spent 13 years in the major leagues has died. According to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was 37.



Lima, who pitched for the Dodgers led them to their first playoff win in 16 years in 2004. He died of an apparent heart attack in Los Angeles, according to the Aguilas Cibaenas. Lima had played for in the Dominican Republic.



"Lima was a great man. This is a great loss for Dominican baseball and the country," team president Winston Llenas said.



Lima had his best season with the Houston Astros in 1999 when he was selected to the All-Star game. He went 21-10 with a 3.58 ERA in 35 starts for the NL Central champions.



"It saddened me greatly to hear of Jose's passing," Astros owner Drayton McLane said. "He was truly a gifted person both on the field and off of it. He could dance, he could sing, but his best gift of all was that he was an extremely happy person. He just lit up our clubhouse with his personality, which was his greatest asset. Jose was not shortchanged in life in any way. He lived life to the fullest every day."



Lima was a fierce competitor and he got people excited," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "It's just so sad when you lose one of your peers."



He revived his career several times, between the independent league and the minors. The Dominican pitcher was 89-102 with a 5.26 ERA in 348 games in the majors, with his latest a four-game stint with the New York Mets in 2006.



"When you faced Jose Lima, you didn't know what to expect from him," said Mariano Duncan, Dodgers first base coach and former major league infielder. "He had a good fastball, a good changeup and good breaking ball. He was a good baseball player and a good friend. Nobody enjoyed the game more than him, and we're going to miss him."



"He was a man full of life, without any physical problems and with many plans and projects on the agenda," his wife, Dorca Astacio said.



"This is a shock for us because Lima was a young man who seemed healthy and nobody imagined this," Aguilas Cibaenas manager Tomas Jimenez said.



"Horrible news. It's so sad," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "His energy was infectious. It's a big loss. He was a showman and a hot dog, but he won games. He willed himself to do it. He always had a smile on his face."*



Funeral arrangements are pending.