Presumably the North County Times’ Steve Schofield has other subjects to write about the other 363 days of the year.
Try as they might to low-key Ken Caminiti Night at Petco Park on Thursday, the Padres didn’t quite pull it off.
It was a delicate subject for the team to honor Caminiti, a man who died of a drug overdose in October and would have celebrated his 42nd birthday Thursday.
Master of ceremonies Ted Leitner did a good job of introducing Caminiti’s parents, brother, sister-in-law, ex-wife and three children.
And the team showed some clips of Caminiti’s playing career, from youth sports to his time as a pro, including four years with the Padres from 1995-1998.
They also stenciled his number “21” in large letters in back of home plate.
It was going well until Leitner went over the top and said “Ladies and gentlemen, in only four years, but I think you will agree with me, no one in this sport in this city or any other sport, grabbed the fans and had the love affair Ken had.”
Oh, really? What about Junior Seau, Tony Gwynn, Dan Fouts and Don Coryell? That’s a disservice to all of them, and none of them killed themselves.
Manager Bruce Bochy had an interesting take on Caminiti.
“I don’t want the steroid issue to be associated with Ken, ever,” Bochy said. “I believe and hope people will recognize him as a baseball player, a complete baseball player.”
That’s not going to happen because Caminiti wrote his own sad epitaph with his lifestyle.
Jeez, this guy is really mean. Although I guess long hours on the assembly line at the outrage-factory will do that to you.
Back when he was with the Astros — and presumably limiting his chemical indiscretions to league legal/bitchin’ alcohol abuse — Ken Caminiti signed an autograph for me at Shea Stadium. He was the nicest ballplayer ever to do so.
Cami was the best person to ever grace this Earth with his presence outside of Jesus Christ. My love for this man has yet to die and probably never will. He was not just a gorgeous and talented baseball player, he was a good friend, a giving person and basically a gentle giant. I met him the first time in 1989. God I miss him. No man will ever compare to him.
IN FEW WORDS CAMINITI IS THE GREATEST THIRD BASEMAN TO EVER PLAY THE GAME. I KNEW HIM AND I MUST SAY THAT OUTSIDE THE FIELD HE WAS THE BIGGEST AND FUNNIEST LOVING HUMAN ON EARTH. LOVE YOU CAMMI.
Check out Caminiti’s obituary at legacy.com….. People are still posting remembrances of him years after his death…a tribute to the memory and love that people had and continue to have for him. We’re all imperfect human beings. He struggled tremendously with his demons. God Bless him.