Ken Caminiti

Kenneth Gene Caminiti (April 21, 1963 – October 10, 2004) was an American third baseman who spent 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Houston Astros (1987–1994, 1999–2000), San Diego Padres (1995–1998), Texas Rangers (2001) and Atlanta Braves (2001).

Caminiti was born in Hanford, California on April 21, 1963, to Yvonne and Lee Caminiti who had another son, Glenn, and a daughter, Carrie.

He starred in football and baseball at Leigh High School in San Jose, California, where he graduated in 1981.

In football, he was invited to many all-star games after his senior football season.

He attended San Jose State University, where he played baseball for the Spartans in 1983 and 1984.

Caminiti was signed as a third round pick in the 1984 amateur draft by the Houston Astros.

Caminiti played professional baseball for 15 seasons, beginning with the Osceola Astros of the Single-A Florida State League in 1985.

He was promoted to the Double-A Columbus Astros in 1986, and batted .300 for the first time in his professional career.

He returned to Columbus in 1987, improving to a .325 batting average, hitting 15 home runs over 95 games and making the Southern League All-Star game.

He also played third base for the Indios de Mayagüez along with Wally Joyner in the Puerto Rico Winter League.

Skipping Triple-A, Caminiti was called up and made his major league debut at age 24 with the Houston Astros on July 16, 1987.

In his debut, he went 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple, and scored the game-winning run.

He immediately received a large role, starting 51 of the Astros' final 75 games at third base.

However, in 1988, Denny Walling, whom Caminiti had largely replaced the previous season, was named the Astros starting third baseman, and Caminiti started the season in the minors, playing with the Triple-A Tucson Toros of the Pacific Coast League.

Despite an injury forcing Walling to the disabled list in mid-June, the Astros did not call up Caminiti, instead trading for the veteran Buddy Bell.

Further injuries in late July forced the Astros to shift Bell to first base in late July, and Caminiti was brought up to play at third base.

However, Caminiti struggled, batting only .176 over three weeks, and was demoted again, only returning for September call-ups, and ended the season with a .181 batting average over 89 plate appearances.

Prior to 1989, the Astros' new manager Art Howe announced that Caminiti would be the starting third baseman.

Despite being plagued with several injuries throughout his tenure in Houston, Caminiti became a constant presence at third base over the next six seasons, averaging .263 with 12 home runs and 69 RBIs from 1989 to 1994.

During this time, he formed part of the nucleus of the Astros offense alongside future Hall of Famers Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio, plus Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez (both of whom ended their careers with over 2500 hits and 300 home runs).

Caminiti's Astros improved their record each year from 1991 to 1994.

In the strike-shortened 1994 season, he set a new career high with 18 home runs, and earned his first All Star Game selection.

After the 1994 season, Caminiti was traded by the Astros, in part to cut payroll and get younger, to the San Diego Padres in a 12-player trade (the biggest trade in terms of number of players moved since 1957), along with Steve Finley, Andújar Cedeño, Roberto Petagine, Brian Williams, and a player to be named later (PTBNL), in exchange for Derek Bell, Doug Brocail, Ricky Gutiérrez, Pedro Martínez, Phil Plantier, and Craig Shipley.

In 1995, at the age of 32, he reached career highs at the plate by hitting .302 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs in his first season for the Padres, winning his first of three consecutive Gold Glove Awards.

The switch-hitting Caminiti also became the first player to ever have three games with a home run from each side of the plate, remarkably having entirely done so over a single four game span.

He was named the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) with San Diego in 1996, and is a member of the Padres Hall of Fame.

Caminiti had a career season in 1996, leading the Padres to the playoffs, and again setting new career highs, batting .326 with 40 home runs and 130 RBIs (which remains the Padres' single season RBI record).

He carried the Padres that year despite a myriad of injuries, such as an abdominal strain, a biceps tendon tear, shoulder and elbow injuries, and pain in his back, hamstring, and groin.

One highlight of the season was the August 18 game against the Mets in Monterrey, Mexico, which saw him play with dehydration and diarrhea.

With liters of intravenous fluid received alongside a Snickers bar, Caminiti hit two home runs in the victory over the Mets.

In spite of Caminiti's three home runs, the Padres were swept by the St. Louis Cardinals in three games in the NLDS.

Despite playing most of 1996 with a torn right rotator cuff, his performance earned him his second All-Star Game appearance, and he became the fifth player to be unanimously voted National League Most Valuable Player Award.

He dropped off slightly in 1997, but remained productive, batting .290 with 26 home runs and 90 RBIs, and was voted the National League's starting third baseman for the All Star Game.

Injuries took their toll, and Caminiti's batting average fell to .252 in 1998, though he maintained his power numbers.

This season saw Caminiti make the World Series for the only time in his career, where the Padres were swept by a juggernaut New York Yankees team that had won a then-AL record 114 games.

He had two total hits in the series and batted .143.

After 1998, the Padres did not attempt to re-sign the free agent eligible Caminiti in a cost-saving move.

Despite reportedly being offered more money by the Detroit Tigers, Caminiti returned to Houston on a $9.5 million contract with an option for a third year at $5.5 million.

Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker endorsed the signing, describing Caminiti as "the ultimate gamer."

He died of a cocaine and heroin (a speedball) drug overdose on October 10, 2004.