Jose Ramon Mesa...he and his wife Mirla have six children; sons Ralph (6/29/79), Juan Jose (8/4/85), Jesse (8/17/88), and Jose Jr. (8/13/93), and daughters Yamely (1/15/84) and Yenny (7/16/87)...attended Santa School in the Dominican Republic...has 6 brothers...donates money, equipment and time to the San Lorenzo Club/Roberto Clemente League...split the $10,000 award for winning the 1995 Rolaids Relief Man Award between the La Nueva Vida Church in Cleveland and the Jose Mesa Foundation in the Dominican Republic...signed first pro contract with Toronto at the age of 15...was part of Major League Baseball tour of Japan following the 1996 season...Donates money, equipment and time to the San Lorenzo Club/Roberto Clemente League.

Established a career high with 79 appearances for the Colorado Rockies...Allowed one run in his first 17 outings of the season April 3-May 3, posting a 0.55 ERA in 16.1 innings...Made the 900th appearance of his career on April 28 at Florida...Registered his lone save of the season on April 30 at Florida -- marks 13th straight season in which he recorded a save, the longest active streak in the majors...Equaled a career high with a five-game losing streak May 9-August 10...Compiled a 0.56 ERA (16.0IP/1ER) over an 18-outing stretch May 15-June 21...Posted a 1.98 ERA (13.2IP/3ER) in 14 appearances July 26-August 29...Finished 0-2 with a 3.05 ERA (41.1IP/14ER) in 46 appearances prior to the all-star break...posted a 1-3 record and 4.94 ERA (31.0IP/17ER) in 33 outings following the all-star break.