The Baseball Chick

So I guess it’s no longer “Lima Time.”

Right-handed pitcher, Jose Lima, who was a 20-game winner and an All-Star during a 13-year major league career, died Sunday. He was 37.  Lima died of an apparent heart attack, according to the Aguilas Cibaenas, a winter ball team Lima had played for in the Dominican Republic.  Lima posted his best season in 1999 when he was selected to the All-Star game as a Houston Astro.

In 13 major league seasons, he had a 5.26 ERA. He hadn’t pitched in the major leagues since a four-game stop with the New York Mets in 2006.

“He was a man full of life, without apparent physical problems and with many plans and projects on the agenda,” his wife, Dorca Astacio, told ESPNdeportes.com.

On this past Friday night, he attended a game at Dodger Stadium, where he was introduced between innings and received an ovation from the crowd.  With the Dodgers in 2004 and 2005, Lima had a record of 13-5, with a 4.07 ERA.

“He would sign autographs all the time and ask the kids, ‘What time is it?’ They would answer ‘Lima Time!’ I can see it right now.” said Guillermo Mota, now a Giants reliever. “He had so much energy. I used to play catch with him and I’d be laughing on every throw.”

So sad.  I will always remember when he dyed his hair blond.  That was so ridiculous.  My thoughts go out to his family, friends, and fans.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia is batting .343 in 18 games for Oklahoma City with five doubles, three homers, and an on-base percentage of .400.

Saltalamacchia hit the disabled list with a back injury just two games into the season.  Now he’s ready to come back, but Saltalamacchia is struggling with his throws back to the pitcher’s mound. In Salty’s last game, 12 of his throws back to the pitcher landed either short of the mound or in center field. He had five errant throws in the first inning alone.

“He’s just got to keep playing until he gets it right,” RedHawks manager Bobby Jones said. “I don’t know what else to do. It’s a shame. It’s definitely what’s keeping him here. He’s blocking the ball well and swinging the bat well. He’s just got to figure it out. It’s a shame.”

Easy.  He just needs to memorize the details of the Victoria’s Secret catalog.  But I think he has bigger problems on his hands.  What’s he going to do about the circa 1998 Justin Timberlake hair???

Eri Yoshida

18-year-old Japanese female knuckleballer Eri Yoshida has signed with the Chico Outlaws.  She was the first female to play in the Japanese men’s baseball league, and now is the first female professional baseball player in the U.S. in a decade.  Her pitches only top off at around 50 miles per hour, but Yoshida allegedly has a sweet little knuckleball.

Yoshida spent March working with  fellow knuckleballer Tim Wakefield at the Boston Red Sox’s minor league training center.  She also won games in the Arizona Winter League this past year.

Check out Mark Buehrle’s amazing play on opening day of major league baseball. It’s off the chain!

The Kansas City Royals say left-handed pitching prospect Danny Duffy has left baseball.  Duffy left camp after telling the club that he wanted to reassess his priorities. The team offered no additional information.

The 21-year-old Duffy went 19-10 with a 2.49 ERA in 52 games since drafted in 2007.

Apparently the Royals were a little pumped about this guy, but he wasn’t going to make the club right out of spring training. They wanted to work on his mechanics.

Oh, I forgot, it’s the Royals, no one cares.  Sorry.

Wow, I don’t know who lied to this guy and told him he was good.  Whoever it was should be taken out back and put down like Old Yeller.  Snell is showing some major ‘tude and has made it clear that he does not want to play for the Pirates anymore. 

“Ian spoke publicly about not wanting to come back and it’s tough to bring a player back into a clubhouse with 24 other players when he’s been strongly adamant he doesn’t want to come back,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said Sunday.

After going 2-8 with a 5.36 ERA in 15 starts for the Pirates, the right-handed Snell told the team he was weary of pitching amid criticism in Pittsburgh and would welcome a demotion. Snell has been dominant in Triple-A, striking out 13 consecutive batters and 17 overall in seven innings during his first start, but has not lobbied to rejoin the Pirates. (The Vindicator)

Too bad the Pirates have let everyone know that the feeling is mutual.  They apparently have no intention of recalling him in the near future.

“Waaaa!!!  I’m a crappy pitcher on an even crappier team with management that has every intention of keeping us as crappy as possible!!! ” Wait…did I actually feel bad for him for a second?  Basically, Ian Snell has reeked this entire season and should really focus on salvaging his prematurely dying career before it’s too late, instead of crying about his crummy bosses.  Snell was decent in 2007, but the rest of his career has been mediocre at best. However, GM Neal Huntington is either trying to destroy the last embers of dying hope for the last remaining Pirate fan or is near-retarded, and will definitely screw up dealing him.