Former NL MVP Caminiti Dies From Heart Attack

[Walter Cronkite]

Former National League MVP Ken Caminiti slugged 239 home runs during his 15-year career.

Ken Caminiti, the 1996 National League MVP who later admitted using steroids during his major league career, died Sunday. He was 41.

Caminiti died of a heart attack in the Bronx, said his agent-lawyer Rick Licht. The city medical examiner's office said an autopsy would be performed Monday, spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said.

"I'm still in shock," San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "He was one of my favorite all-time players."

The three-time All-Star third baseman often was in trouble the last few years. His 15-year big league career ended in 2001, five seasons after he led the Padres to a division title and was a unanimous pick for MVP.

Just last Tuesday, he admitted in a Houston court that he violated his probation by testing positive for cocaine last month, and was sentenced to 180 days in jail.

But state District Judge William Harmon gave Caminiti credit for the 189 days he already served in jail and a treatment facility since he was sentenced to three years probation for a cocaine arrest in March 2001.

In May 2002, Caminiti told Sports Illustrated that he used steroids during his MVP season, when he hit a career-high .326 with 40 home runs and 130 RBI. He estimated half the players in the big leagues were also using them.

Caminiti returned to baseball this year as a spring training instructor with San Diego.

"When I saw him in spring training, he didn't look good," Towers said. "I'm not surprised."

"The best way to describe him is that he was a warrior in every sense of the word. I can't tell you how many times I remember him hobbling into the manager's office, barely able to walk, and saying, `Put me in the lineup."'

Licht said Caminiti was in New York this past weekend to help a friend, but did not go into detail.

"Man, that's just a tough one. I played with him for eight years," Dodgers outfielder Steve Finley said Sunday night, learning of Caminiti's death after St. Louis eliminated Los Angeles from the playoffs.

"He was a great player, but he got mixed up in the wrong things -- taking drugs. It's a sad reminder of how bad drugs are and what they can do to your body. It's a loss all of us will feel."

Caminiti batted .272 with 239 homers and 983 RBI with Houston, San Diego, Texas and Atlanta.

Source: AP

[Walter Cronkite]

Silva: Ex-MVP edgy, wanted to talk

Ken Caminiti was "depressed" and "edgy," and wanted to talk about "life, love and everything," during the last half day of his life, spent in large part in the company of a 35-year-old ex-con from Brooklyn, according to a suburban New York newspaper.

Rob Silva, 35, who said he met Caminiti at a party in Brooklyn about a year and a half ago, told Newsday, in a story published Tuesday, that Caminiti called him Friday to talk. During their conversation, Silva mentioned to the former National League MVP that his son was having problems with drugs.

Caminiti spoke to the son, Silva told Newsday. "He asked my son, 'Do you want to live, or do you want to die?' My son stood quiet for a second then said, 'I want to live.' And Ken said, 'All right, then.'"

Silva said Caminiti promised to help the youth get into a military school in Texas. "I was happy. I thought he was going to give my son a chance to make it. My son really wants to get out of here."

Caminiti called again about 4 a.m. Sunday, according to Silva, said he was in the neighborhood and wanted to meet.

They walked around for a while, according to Silva, before Caminiti hailed a cab and told the cabbie to "Just drive." They rode around Brooklyn for a time, then walked around the Hunts Point section of the Bronx before ending up about 8 a.m. at the apartment of a friend of Silva's, Angel Gonzalez, where Caminiti later was stricken.

While they were riding in the cab, Silva told Newsday, Caminiti "was talking a lot. He was sweating a lot," but Silva said that he didn't see Caminiti take any drugs and that the only thing he saw Caminiti drink was a protein shake.

"A heart attack at 41, as healthy as he is? I know he had a problem with cocaine. I know that's one of the demons he has been fighting," Silva said.

Silva told Newsday that Caminiti talked about how much his three young daughters meant to him, how much he loved his father, how drugs and alcohol had destroyed his life and how he had disappointed so many people.

At Gonzalez's apartment, the men decided to watch the Jets game during the afternoon. While they waited for the game to start, Caminiti went into the bathroom, reappearing after about five minutes, his face covered either in water or sweat, rubbing his chest, Silva told Newsday.

Caminiti said, "I don't feel so good," took a few steps and collapsed, according to Silva.

Gonzalez, who had just returned from picking up fried chicken and beer, helped drag Caminiti onto a bed, then called 911 while Silva tried to administer CPR. When emergency medical technicians arrived, Caminiti was taken to Lincoln Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Source: ESPN