Not long ago a reader asked what ever happened to Ken Caminiti. She recalled thinking he was really cute.

It seems the fans of baseball also found him "cute". Along with fans, league owners, teammates, and sports writers who enjoyed his love of the game. For awhile he could do no wrong. Though at times in his 15-season tenor he did not always make this easy.

Ken Caminiti was born April 21, 1963 in Hanford, Ca. He committed to baseball early and went through the paces, and years, that lead him to San Jose State College. His playing ability there caught the eye of the Houston Astros in 1987. A relationship that lasted until 1994 when he returned to California. From 1995 till 1998 he was a San Diego Padre. It was there that he made the record books.

In 1995 he won the National League (NL) Golden Glove at third base. The following year he won the NL Most Valuable Player award, and another Golden Glove. In 1997 he again won the NL Golden Glove Award. He also earned two Excellence in Sports Performance (ESPY) awards given by ESPN. The sports television network. One ESPY was for the outstanding baseball player of the year; the other was for making the play of the year. It was also in 1997 he guest starred on a television show called "Arli$$". A show about a sports player agent who’s only intent was on making money. Caminiti on the show played himself along with Barry Bonds, Jim Harbaugh, David Justice, Eric Karros, Jeanette "Black Widow" Lee and Pete Rose.

Photos courtesy of Mike's Increible Baseball Page

Life was good for Ken Caminiti, but it was to change. San Diego gave up on him. He was growing older, slower, and more vocal. He returned to the state that started his career. For 1999 and 2000 he played with Houston once more. It did not work out. During 2001 he started with the Texas Rangers, finished with the Atlanta Braves and retired. I mentioned he was growing vocal. It seems he spoke freely of the fact he was on steroids when he won the 1996 MVP award. He justified it by saying half the major leaguers were. Something not taken too kindly. He was losing his appeal among league owners, teammates, sports writers, and in time fans.

Sympathy only goes so far.

At his retirement in 2001 he upped the count. Now Caminiti claimed 85% of the major leaguers were on enhanced drugs, and that he hoped to write a book about it. Sadly a different type of book was in his future. Though Caminiti changed teams, and addresses, he did not change his habits. If anything as his playing days wound down his drug use went up.

It was just a few months after he announced his retirement. In November 2001 he earned a new record, and got his name in a new book. He was arrested. A routine car check in Houston showed someone driving his car. The driver said he had permission, and told the police where Caminiti could be found to verify his story. He was found in a hotel room with two other men, and cocaine.

In March 2002 he plead guilty to possession of cocaine. It was in his interest as he had very little celebrity or money status left to protect him. He was given a break. A three-year term of deferred adjudication, meaning stay clean of drugs, meet the terms of probation, at the end no conviction on his arrest record. That did not even work for a year.

In January 2003 at a routine, meaning expected, drug test he once again proved positive for drug use. Despite several attempts at drug rehabilitation, a gifted life, and three children, it was now time for jail. Months later, in spring, another kind of training was in store for him. He got a ride from the prison to his court trial. He not only got another record, another entry in the books; he also got six months in a state ran jail treatment program. Also, at his trial he admitted to only knowing a few ball players that used steroids. He was just trying to justify his use. There were few tears for third baseman Ken Caminiti.

Will this treatment work? That is up to owner of three Golden Glove awards. He had a gift, and he threw it away once faced with the real world most of us live in. A world played on the field of life, not a diamond shaped lot. Perhaps he will remember his stint on the Arli$$ show.

It was an episode called "Truth and Responsibility."