Ken Caminiti dead at 41

[pooh]

Ken Caminiti dead at 41. Apparently of a heart attack.

[Kori Ellis]

Former NL MVP Caminiti Passes Away

POSTED: 2:19 am EDT October 11, 2004

Bronx, NY -- Ken Caminiti, who won the National League MVP in 1996 and later admitted to using steroids during his playing career, passed away on Sunday due to an apparent heart attack. He was 41.

Caminiti passed away at New York's Lincoln Memorial Hospital in the Bronx.

A three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner at third base, Caminiti ended his playing career in 2001 with Atlanta, but was then often in legal trouble.

Last Tuesday, Caminiti admitted he violated his probation by testing positive for cocaine and was sentenced to 180 days in jail. He had already served more than six months in jail in relation to an arrest for a cocaine violation in 2001.

Caminiti had previously admitted that he also faced alcohol abuse in 1993.

In a report by Sports Illustrated in May 2002, Caminiti admitted he used the steroids the year he hit a career-best .326 with 40 home runs and drove in 130 runs for the San Diego Padres in 1996. At the time, Caminiti told the magazine at least half of the major league players use performance-enhancing drugs.

Caminiti told the magazine he started using steroids midway through the 1996 season after hurting his shoulder. Up to that season he had never hit more than 26 homers in a single year, but in 1996 he hit 28 after the All-Star break and followed that up with 26 homers in 1997 and 29 in 1998, the year the Padres went to the World Series before losing to the Yankees.

In 1987, Caminiti made his major league debut with the Houston Astros after coming up in their farm system. He was traded to San Diego prior to the 1995 season and finished his career hitting .272 with 239 home runs and 983 RBI.

Caminiti was employed by the Padres as a spring training instructor this past season.

[Kori Ellis]

That's sad. But he really had a lot of chances to get help for his coke problem.

[pooh]

Yeah I'm sure Rome will say something about it tomorrow, he was on his show a lot. Maybe it will wake up Bonds and have him finally confess.

[timvp]

Damn, that sucks. I thought he was getting himself clean.

He was a warrior on the field. Hopefully gets to play 3rd base again upstairs.

[T Park]

not suprising.

[tlongII]

His death is more likely a result of his cocaine addiction than the steroids in my opinion.

[Jimcs50]

His death is more likely a result of a his cocaine addiction than the steroids in my opinion.

Thankyou, Dr Drake Remore.

[FromWayDowntown]

Maybe it will wake up Bonds and have him finally confess.

if Barry has anything to confess to. Why is it so unfathomable that a guy who's always shown himself to have sublime talent has cultivated that talent into some of the most prodigious numbers of all time? Nobody questioned if Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, or Babe Ruth were artificially enhanced. Bonds has gotten bigger, but it's not like he suddenly got bigger over night. Back off of Bonds until you have something more than jealous su ion to inform your objection.

Caminiti's death is tragic.

[Spurminator]

Damn, this hurts. He was my second favorite Astro when I was young (behind Biggio). He was an adequate hitter for Houston, but I was always more awestruck by his arm at third.

[FromWayDowntown]

but I was always more awestruck by his arm at third.

Me too. As a young third baseman, he was one of my favorites to watch. I saw him throw a runner out at first from his knees once -- just a cannon for an arm and absolutely no regard for his body in defending the hot corner. He was like a latter day Graig Nettles -- adequate bat, spectacular glove.

Somehow, focusing on his play seems like it makes light of his death, but his life certainly left many, many people with some very fond memories. It's really so sad that he never could overcome his demons. Plenty of people tried to help him, but sometimes all the help in the world isn't enough. Perhaps, at last, he has found the peace that seemed to elude him for so long.