Caminiti Found in Hotel Room with Cocaine...

[b-ball-lunachik]

Caminiti found in hotel with cocaine

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2001/1114/1278232.html

HOUSTON -- Former NL MVP Ken Caminiti was arrested Wednesday on drug possession charges after authorities said he was found in a Houston hotel room with crack cocaine.

Early Wednesday afternoon, officers from a drug task force stopped a 2001 Mercedes registered to Caminiti. The vehicle was being driven by another individual.

Deputies with the Harris County Sheriff's Department were asked to go to the hotel to check on Caminiti's welfare and make sure the vehicle wasn't stolen.

They found Caminiti in the room and "when the door was opened, deputies could smell what they believed to be crack cocaine," said Harris County Sheriff's Department spokesman Lt. Robert Van Pelt.

Drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in the room, he said.

Caminiti, 38, who lives in Houston, was arrested along with two other individuals.

He was charged with possession of less than 28 grams of a controlled substance and booked into the Harris County Jail.

Caminiti split last season with Texas and Atlanta. He hit .232 with nine home runs and 25 RBI for the Rangers and, after being released in July, batted .222 with six homers and 16 RBI with Atlanta.

The Braves did not re-sign Caminiti and last week he filed for free agency.

Caminiti left the Houston Astros in September 2000 to undergo evaluation for chemical dependency. He had been sidelined since June 16 that year following surgery to repair a ruptured tendon sheath in his right wrist, and later admitted he had a relapse with alcohol abuse he faced in 1993.

Caminiti rose up through the Astros' minor league system and made his major league debut in 1987, becoming a fan favorite in Houston. He was part of a 12-player trade with San Diego in 1994 and was the NL MVP in 1996 with the Padres with 40 home runs and 130 RBI.

He returned to Houston in 1999, turning down a $21.5 million, three-year offer from Detroit to accept a two-year, $9.5 million deal with the Astros.

I hate to see anyone struggling with addiction and it seems that Caminiti has struggled for awhile now, whether it be alchohol or whatever...such a shame...I wonder if that's why the Braves chose not to sign him or if it was just the bad numbers he put up this season -- or both...what do you guys think?

[hmrsf]

Drugs..........bad news! You hate to see anyone struggle like that. We have all had family members, coworkers, neighbors or some one in our circle get tangled up with that mess. Too bad and a big waste!

[Skipper Steve]

This breaks my heart - - 'cause the guy seemed to be a warrior, and I always admire a warrior.

Rod Scurry, Allan Wiggins, Steve Howe - - I don't feel sorry for those guys. Yet, like I said, something about Cammy makes me sad to hear this news.

Just goes to show - - you can have all the things in the world - - incredible talent, money, fame, people who love you; but, yet, something can drive you to do this - - quite often, it's an absence of happiness.

Really sad.

[timconnelly]

Steve, you are so profound!

And I get to read you for free!!

[b-ball-lunachik]

Originally posted by Skipper Steve

Just goes to show - - you can have all the things in the world - - incredible talent, money, fame, people who love you; but, yet, something can drive you to do this - - quite often, it's an absence of happiness.

Really sad.

you are absolutely right Steve!

I always had a soft spot for Straw --okay, so I know he did abuse the wife and avoided paying all his taxes and screwed up SO many times, but I attribute it to this disease....not that he shouldn't be accountable for those actions, it just saddens me...I'm very glad when I see Gooden and how great he looks but I often wonder what those two could have done -- such incredible talent gone to waste...

I have to think that if they never got mixed up with drugs, barring any major injuries, they both had enough talent to go the Hall...am I the only one who thinks about that stuff? I hope kids are looking at that and use that as an example...both really nice guys with all the talent in the world...enough talent for fame, fortune but succumbed to a horrible disease born out of lack of fulfilllment in their life......

Steinbrenner has a lot of faults but he's very sympathetic and I'm glad that he's given Gooden a job and I'm praying Straw stays strong and healthy...and now I'm be praying for Caminiti -- these next few months are not going to be easy for him...

Okay, I'll stop rambling now...I'm just very upset...

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by timconnelly
Steve, you are so profound!
And I get to read you for free!!

Nothing in life is for free.

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by b-ball-lunachik
Straw

Gooden

I have to think that if they never got mixed up with drugs, barring any major injuries, they both had enough talent to go the Hall

Without question, in my mind.

[CubFan7125]

I Couldn't Believe It - My heart just dropped when I received the Caminiti news in an e-mail alert tonight. I was absolutely crushed. I always loved the way he played & the infield of Caminiti, Biggio, & Bagwell from the early & mid 90's was one of my favorites. I just loved the way these guys played.

Now please let me insert a personal note to this post - I am a recovering addict who has been thru treatment. I feel this way whenever anybody suffers a relapse, having had more than a few white knuckle nights myself. I think part of the problem with Caminiti is the hangers-on who are the parasites of this world. Who was driving his car? Who is the 3rd unidentified man? Straw & Doc sure had these people around them. That is NOT AN EXCUSE for relapsing, it just makes the challenge harder. He did have a rough season this year in "Hotlanta" and needed his support system even more, unfortunately it was not there.

The support system is extremely important, you need to have people that you can lean on when you are at your lowest, not leaches and bottom feeders who will use you for their own selfish purposes. The support system is why Dwight Gooden is doing well and why I believe Strawberry will eventually will make it. George loves his people and sets up a system for them. I have family & friends I can go to when I need it, I hope Caminiti can find the same soon.

I want to repeat once again that these are not excuses, we are all responsible for are actions. I know there is plenty of help out there, especially for the affluent, and I hope Caminiti gets it soon.

Ken - here's hoping you find inner peace from a recovering addict who has been clean for 4 years, 3 months & 13 days.

Thank you for letting me ramble.

[Skipper Steve]

CubFan7125 - excellent post. Thank you for sharing. Very important points, indeed.

In cases like these, the who you're hanging with and where you hang are, oh, so important.

There's an old line in relation to this - - - -

"If you hang out in a barber shop every day, eventually you'll get a haircut."

It's impossible to correctly value good people and good support. They are off the charts.

PS - Continued Godspeed to you.

Wasn't it Joe Pepitone who was arrested for drug possession, who'd said to some cop "Don't you know who I am?" after having thrown his hat onto the roof of his car?

CubFan, well said.

I think that with Straw, it's a matter of opportunity and being tempted. Some people are easily tempted (not faulting anyone), regardless of the addiction and others, like you said, have a strong support system.

I have no idea why Straw, who has a beautiful wife, needs to see some trashy girl on the street corner or have others snort stuff he pays for. I was hoping he'd have been treated for his cancer, for which the entire Yankee 98 season was dedicated to him, and live happily ever after, but I guess that wasn't meant to be.

I've never understood drug addiction, the need for a "fix" but after he and Doc went to Smithers, I was hoping they'd be taken care of. I still feel for the guy and anyone who gives that much back to his team and just wants to help them out can't be such a bad guy. Sad as it is to say, I just wish he'd pick his friends better than he did and could say "no" to those leeches more often than he did.

I guess all name athletes have groupies, as long as they've got the bodies and the cash, the sins will be readily available at the right price, which they can always meet. Growing up in NYC, there's that by the bucketload and then some.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by Skipper Steve
Rod Scurry, Allan Wiggins, Steve Howe - - I don't feel sorry for those guys. Yet, like I said, something about Cammy makes me sad to hear this news.

I must be cold and callous because I don't have an ounce of sympathy. These guys have life by the balls and throw it all away.

[hmrsf]

Ken - here's hoping you find inner peace from a recovering addict who has been clean for 4 years, 3 months & 13 days.


You get a double

[Skipper Steve]

Originally posted by hmrsf
You get a double

As should you hmrsf!

[willyg]

I agree anyone can make a mistake, hopefully Cammy made his and can go forward.

I argree with you Skipper, some guys I really feel for, others Howe, Straw, Nate Newton, I have zero sympathy for.