Current Contract
Signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals on March 4, 2008. On the club's 40-Man Roster.

Became a Cardinal
Signed as a minor league free agent on December 21, 2006.

2007 Season
Jimenez split playing time between St. Louis and Memphis, finishing the season with St. Louis with a 3-0 record with a 7.50 ERA in 42 innings pitched. He pitched much better in September for the Cardinals, picking up two wins in 11 appearances with a 3.14 ERA. At Memphis Jimenez posted a record of 2-3 with one save and a 2.72 ERA.

He opened the ‘07 season with Memphis after being among the last cuts in Cardinals spring camp as he produced a 0.96 spring ERA (0-0, 2 saves) in nine games.

His contract was purchased from Memphis on 4/27 and made Jimenez made his Major League debut that night against the Chicago Cubs pitching 1.0 scoreless inning.

Career Notes
Jimenez posted a 5.21 ERA in 26 games for Triple-A Oklahoma before suffering an elbow injury in July and missing the remainder of the season. In 38 innings, he struck out 40 and walked 24.

Jimenez was signed to his first professional contract by the Texas Rangers in May, 2000 out of the Dominican Republic and became a six-year minor league free agent following the 2006 season. In 2002, he aged two years as part of a crack-down instituted by MLB.

He steadily moved up the ranks each year, reaching Triple-A in 2005 and repeating the level in 2006. He was converted from being a swingman to exclusively a reliever about that time. (At their lower levels, the Rangers moved pitchers from starting to relieving in alternating outings in an attempt to build experience.)

Player Awards
Birdhouse MiLB Reliever of the Month: July 2008

Photo: MLB Photos