Jose Lima is dead

[Pell City Tiger]

NEW YORK -- Former All-Star right-hander Jose Lima died Sunday morning at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 37.

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 was 89-102 in 13 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.

He was selected to the All-Star Game with Houston in 1999, when he won a career-high 21 games.

Lima didn't return to the major leagues after being released by the Mets in 2006, when he went 0-4 in four games pitched.

Last winter, Lima played for the Aguilas Cibaenas in the Dominican Republic and had announced plans to do the same in the upcoming season.

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

Royals designated hitter Jose Guillen, who played with Lima for the Escogido Lions of the Dominican winter league, said he heard of Lima's death before Sunday's game in Kansas City against Colorado.

"A writer told me the news while I was at batting practice and I just dropped the bat. I froze," Guillen said in a telephone interview.

Guillen added that he'll wear the initials JL on his helmet as a sign of respect for his deceased friend.

"This is painful. Jose Lima has died," said Red Sox DH David Ortiz, who also played with Lima in the Dominican league.

Dodger owner Frank McCourt released a statement in which he fondly recalled Lima's singing of the national anthem before a home game in 2004, during his one season with the Dodgers.

"We are shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Jose Lima," McCourt said in the release. "Though he was taken from us way too soon, he truly lived his life to the fullest and his personality was simply unforgettable. He had the ability to light up a room and that's exactly what he did every time I saw him."

According to McCourt, Lima had rejoined the Dodgers organization within the past month as a member of their alumni association, attending a game Friday night amid plans to open a youth baseball academy this summer in Los Angeles "to help teach the game he loved to youngsters."

"He was committed to making appearances in the community on behalf of the team, including an upcoming musical performance at a Viva Los Dodgers event this summer," McCourt said.

Enrique Rojas is a reporter and columnist for ESPNdeportes.com and ESPN.com. Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.