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Playing Through the Pain: Ken Caminiti and the Steroids Confession That Changed Baseball Forever
The powerful story of an essential baseball life In Playing Through the Ken Caminiti and the Steroids Confession That Changed Baseball Forever, writer Dan Good seeks to make sense of MLB MVP Ken Caminiti’s fascinating, troubled life. Good began researching Caminiti in 2012 and conducted his first interviews for his biography in 2013. Since then he’s interviewed nearly 400 people, providing him with an exclusive and exhaustive view into Caminiti’s addictions, use of steroids, baseball successes, and inner turmoil. Decades later, the full truth about Major League Baseball’s steroids era remains elusive, and the story of Caminiti, the player who opened the lid on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball has never been properly told. A gritty third baseman known for his diving stops, cannon arm, and switch-hit power, Caminiti voluntarily admitted in a 2002 Sports Illustrated cover story that he used steroids during his career, including his 1996 MVP season, and guessed that half of the players were using performance-enhancing drugs. “I’ve made a ton of mistakes,” he said. “I don’t think using steroids is one of them.” Good’s on-the-record sources include Caminiti’s steroids supplier, who has never come forward, discussing in detail his efforts to set up drug programs for Caminiti and dozens of other MLB players during the late 1990s; people who attended rehab with Caminiti and revealed the secret inner trauma that fueled his addictions; hundreds of Caminiti’s baseball teammates and coaches, from Little League to the major leagues, who adored and respected him while struggling to understand how to help him amid a culture that cultivated substance abuse; childhood friends who were drawn to his daring personality, warmth, and athleticism; and the teenager at the center of Caminiti’s October 2004 trip to New York City during which he overdosed and died.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 31, 2022
30 people are currently reading
1595 people want to read
About the author
Dan Good
3 books13 followersDan Good is a seasoned book writer, ghostwriter, journalist and editor. His upcoming biography about baseball star Ken Caminiti, Playing Through the Pain, is scheduled to be published by Abrams Press in May 2022. Dan has worked for the New York Post, New York Daily News, ABC News and NBC News, as well as local news outlets in New Jersey and his native Pennsylvania, during his journalism career. He lives outside New York City with his wife and son.
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July 1, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for the Advance Reader Copy for an honest review
Baseball, what is it about this sport that seems to invite and reward the cheaters. I’ve been around and watched baseball a long time and I’ve been told there is a saying in team's dugouts; “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying.” Perhaps it happens to some extent in every sport but baseball seems to be always looking at new and better ways to get an edge.
This is a special book but I am not as sure it is a unique story. I haven’t read many other sport’s figure biographies, so I don’t have much to compare this to. This book covers the athletic career of Ken Caminiti from his early youth to his death at the age of 41. I am a baseball fan and grew up loving the game but am not a big follower of individual players. Caminiti, an outstanding 3rd baseman, is known primarily for his playing days with the Houston Astros and the San Diego Padres. I live in Southern California and was most aware of the unlikely run of the Padres to the 1998 World Series and had only a passing remembrance of Caminiti also known affectionately as Cammy as part of that team.
I found this a quite difficult book to read due to its painful subject matter. It begins with Caminiti’s death due to a drug overdose in the Bronx in 2004. Beginning with this ending one knows this is a tragedy from the earliest pages. Perhaps anyone who knows this player’s story these first few pages are not a surprise. I was not aware of these facts and immediately felt the tone of the book to be quite sad. I imagine the idea was to draw one into finding out what events could lead to this outcome.
The author circles back to Caminiti’s youth and growing up in San Jose California. His family life and early success as a player. He is shown as a youth who lives and plays hard, is driven to succeed but looking back there is an indications of self-doubt and a tendency to push at boundaries both on the field and in life. The author is scrupulous in backing up every chapter with interviews with family members, close friends, teammates, coaches and prior printed material in giving a genuine picture of this man, both in his early days and his professional career.
Caminiti makes a name for himself with his web gems at 3rd base and his hard drinking and drug use off the field. Yet underneath we get to see a man who was well liked by almost all who knew him, went far out of his way for rookie players and wanted and craved respect from his fellow players. A portion of this story covers the 1980’s and 1990’s in baseball when steroids were widely used and were changing the game. Caminiti was one of the initial players who discussed in the media the rampant steroid and amphetamines use in baseball. His use of steroids (performance enhancing drugs) is a big part of the later chapters of this book and gives a close look at how and why they gained popularity and at times a seemed to become necessity to excel in these times.
I think what I loved about this book was how it gave a close look at the difficult road to becoming an outstanding player in a professional sport and the toll it takes on one’s body and mind to maintain that level. Caminiti had a physical prowess that made his accomplishments and play amazing but throughout this book we get to see him more as a man. A man who struggled with addictions and personal “demons” as the author describes them and never was able to find his way when his playing career ended. I think this a struggle for all athletes to some extent, but especially so for the players who make it to the top of the game. Sports are a game of highs and lows. Satchel Paige said it best, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” Every player feels this I feel sure.
Sports is a game of youth and even the best players have a life after and both will define who they are. This was a very difficult book to read but it is very well done and I’m so glad to have read it. Very hard to give it a rating. Thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy.
Baseball, what is it about this sport that seems to invite and reward the cheaters. I’ve been around and watched baseball a long time and I’ve been told there is a saying in team's dugouts; “if you aren’t cheating, you aren’t trying.” Perhaps it happens to some extent in every sport but baseball seems to be always looking at new and better ways to get an edge.
This is a special book but I am not as sure it is a unique story. I haven’t read many other sport’s figure biographies, so I don’t have much to compare this to. This book covers the athletic career of Ken Caminiti from his early youth to his death at the age of 41. I am a baseball fan and grew up loving the game but am not a big follower of individual players. Caminiti, an outstanding 3rd baseman, is known primarily for his playing days with the Houston Astros and the San Diego Padres. I live in Southern California and was most aware of the unlikely run of the Padres to the 1998 World Series and had only a passing remembrance of Caminiti also known affectionately as Cammy as part of that team.
I found this a quite difficult book to read due to its painful subject matter. It begins with Caminiti’s death due to a drug overdose in the Bronx in 2004. Beginning with this ending one knows this is a tragedy from the earliest pages. Perhaps anyone who knows this player’s story these first few pages are not a surprise. I was not aware of these facts and immediately felt the tone of the book to be quite sad. I imagine the idea was to draw one into finding out what events could lead to this outcome.
The author circles back to Caminiti’s youth and growing up in San Jose California. His family life and early success as a player. He is shown as a youth who lives and plays hard, is driven to succeed but looking back there is an indications of self-doubt and a tendency to push at boundaries both on the field and in life. The author is scrupulous in backing up every chapter with interviews with family members, close friends, teammates, coaches and prior printed material in giving a genuine picture of this man, both in his early days and his professional career.
Caminiti makes a name for himself with his web gems at 3rd base and his hard drinking and drug use off the field. Yet underneath we get to see a man who was well liked by almost all who knew him, went far out of his way for rookie players and wanted and craved respect from his fellow players. A portion of this story covers the 1980’s and 1990’s in baseball when steroids were widely used and were changing the game. Caminiti was one of the initial players who discussed in the media the rampant steroid and amphetamines use in baseball. His use of steroids (performance enhancing drugs) is a big part of the later chapters of this book and gives a close look at how and why they gained popularity and at times a seemed to become necessity to excel in these times.
I think what I loved about this book was how it gave a close look at the difficult road to becoming an outstanding player in a professional sport and the toll it takes on one’s body and mind to maintain that level. Caminiti had a physical prowess that made his accomplishments and play amazing but throughout this book we get to see him more as a man. A man who struggled with addictions and personal “demons” as the author describes them and never was able to find his way when his playing career ended. I think this a struggle for all athletes to some extent, but especially so for the players who make it to the top of the game. Sports are a game of highs and lows. Satchel Paige said it best, “Don’t look back. Something might be gaining on you.” Every player feels this I feel sure.
Sports is a game of youth and even the best players have a life after and both will define who they are. This was a very difficult book to read but it is very well done and I’m so glad to have read it. Very hard to give it a rating. Thanks to the author for the advanced reader copy.
April 6, 2022
If there is one “a-ha” moment when steroid use could no longer be a dirty little secret within Major League Baseball, it was when Sports Illustrated published an interview with Ken Caminiti in 2002 when he disclosed that he used steroids through much of his career, including when he was the National League MVP in 1996 while playing for the San Diego Padres. This book by Dan Good is a terrific look at Caminiti’s life and career that has many highlights as well as many demons beyond just using steroids.
While outstanding in many ways, what may be the most impressive aspect of the book is how many people Good interviewed to paint a complete picture of Caminiti. Over 400 people talked on the record to good and it wasn’t just the usual collection of former teammates, family members and business acquaintances. The people who shared their thoughts on him ranged from Ken’s girlfriends in middle school to his physical therapist when he was rehabbing from injury to his parole officer after one of his multiple arrests on drug possession.
All of these people, plus the extensive research by Good help to paint a complete and very complex picture of Caminiti. On the field, he was both consumed with perfection and competition. He was going to make sure that he always performed at his best, opponents or injuries be dammed. While he was fiercely competitive, as are most athletes, he was always quick to help other players improve. This included players who he felt might be taking away his job. Many of the people interviewed would mention how he was always willing to help others.
But despite this, the demons of alcoholism and drug addiction, including cocaine, were the worst enemies for Caminiti. They not only helped in his decline as a player, but they were also detrimental to his friendships and his marriage. Good describes his ex-wife Nancy in almost saintly terms on how she held together their family while Ken was in and out of substance abuse treatment several times.
The passages about his play on the diamond were very good as well. There isn’t a lot of play-by-play analysis or extensive reviews of his seasons, including his best ones with the Houston Astros (two separate tours) and the Padres. Caminiti also tried to salvage his career in 2002 with the Texas Rangers (I thought Good’s frequent reference to Alex Rodriguez with that team as the “$252 million man” was funny) and Atlanta Braves. No matter what team he was with and whatever his level of ability was at, he was always remembered fondly by teammates, especially Hall of Fame second baseman Craig Biggio from the Astros.
Of course, one of the main questions that readers will have when selecting this book will be about steroids. Good’s passages about this, from the acquisition of the drugs by friend Dave Moretti to Ken’s inner demons on why he needed to use them to the two interviews by Jules Roberson-Bailey and later Tom Verducci that were used in the bombshell Sports Illustrated article on his use. Throughout the book, Caminiti is portrayed by many who, when not under the influence of any drug or alcohol and is thinking clearly, will speak in a matter-of-fact tone and that is how he is portrayed in giving these interviews. Good should also be credited with being open minded about steroid use by Caminiti. If there is any bias, Ken does come across as a person with whom one can sympathize, but even that is tempered and the reader is left to come up with their own conclusions.
Every baseball fan who watched the game during the era of steroid use when statistics were altered, bodies of players changed and the sport enjoyed a rebound of popularity after the 1994-95 strike should add this book to their reading list. It doesn’t matter whether one liked Caminiti or even never heard of him, it is a great read about a very complex man.
I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
While outstanding in many ways, what may be the most impressive aspect of the book is how many people Good interviewed to paint a complete picture of Caminiti. Over 400 people talked on the record to good and it wasn’t just the usual collection of former teammates, family members and business acquaintances. The people who shared their thoughts on him ranged from Ken’s girlfriends in middle school to his physical therapist when he was rehabbing from injury to his parole officer after one of his multiple arrests on drug possession.
All of these people, plus the extensive research by Good help to paint a complete and very complex picture of Caminiti. On the field, he was both consumed with perfection and competition. He was going to make sure that he always performed at his best, opponents or injuries be dammed. While he was fiercely competitive, as are most athletes, he was always quick to help other players improve. This included players who he felt might be taking away his job. Many of the people interviewed would mention how he was always willing to help others.
But despite this, the demons of alcoholism and drug addiction, including cocaine, were the worst enemies for Caminiti. They not only helped in his decline as a player, but they were also detrimental to his friendships and his marriage. Good describes his ex-wife Nancy in almost saintly terms on how she held together their family while Ken was in and out of substance abuse treatment several times.
The passages about his play on the diamond were very good as well. There isn’t a lot of play-by-play analysis or extensive reviews of his seasons, including his best ones with the Houston Astros (two separate tours) and the Padres. Caminiti also tried to salvage his career in 2002 with the Texas Rangers (I thought Good’s frequent reference to Alex Rodriguez with that team as the “$252 million man” was funny) and Atlanta Braves. No matter what team he was with and whatever his level of ability was at, he was always remembered fondly by teammates, especially Hall of Fame second baseman Craig Biggio from the Astros.
Of course, one of the main questions that readers will have when selecting this book will be about steroids. Good’s passages about this, from the acquisition of the drugs by friend Dave Moretti to Ken’s inner demons on why he needed to use them to the two interviews by Jules Roberson-Bailey and later Tom Verducci that were used in the bombshell Sports Illustrated article on his use. Throughout the book, Caminiti is portrayed by many who, when not under the influence of any drug or alcohol and is thinking clearly, will speak in a matter-of-fact tone and that is how he is portrayed in giving these interviews. Good should also be credited with being open minded about steroid use by Caminiti. If there is any bias, Ken does come across as a person with whom one can sympathize, but even that is tempered and the reader is left to come up with their own conclusions.
Every baseball fan who watched the game during the era of steroid use when statistics were altered, bodies of players changed and the sport enjoyed a rebound of popularity after the 1994-95 strike should add this book to their reading list. It doesn’t matter whether one liked Caminiti or even never heard of him, it is a great read about a very complex man.
I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
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June 13, 2022Ken Caminiti was a star here in Houston in the early 1990s. He was electric, playing third base for the hometown Astros. That arm. The way he would lay his body out to make a play. And he was ridiculously likable; great to fans, great to his teammates and great for the city.
Dan Good brings all of these aspects of “Cammy” to life in his well-researched book, “Playing Through the Pain.” But he does so while also presenting the less glamorous, very human elements of fear, frailty and addiction. And weaving in and out of it all? The insidious steroid problem that, at least in part, defined Major League Baseball in the mid-to-late 1990s. I found the book both compelling and heartbreaking. I’d recommend it to any fan of sports journalism.
Dan Good brings all of these aspects of “Cammy” to life in his well-researched book, “Playing Through the Pain.” But he does so while also presenting the less glamorous, very human elements of fear, frailty and addiction. And weaving in and out of it all? The insidious steroid problem that, at least in part, defined Major League Baseball in the mid-to-late 1990s. I found the book both compelling and heartbreaking. I’d recommend it to any fan of sports journalism.
July 19, 2022
Incredibly well researched. Good did his due diligence in interviewing just about anyone that Caminiti crossed paths with. You might think that's tedious, but it was well put together.
So why 4 stars and not 5? The writing style/language style didn't appeal to me. For lack of a better word it felt too folksy at times...too informal. Reminded me of memes, sometimes. Perhaps that's to appeal to the younger generation or just how Dan Good writes. I can see how others would like it, but I didn't.
So why 4 stars and not 5? The writing style/language style didn't appeal to me. For lack of a better word it felt too folksy at times...too informal. Reminded me of memes, sometimes. Perhaps that's to appeal to the younger generation or just how Dan Good writes. I can see how others would like it, but I didn't.
June 5, 2022
Powerfully written, exhaustively sourced and unrelentingly compelling, Dan Good’s book on the rise and fall of Ken Caminiti was impossible to put down.
I recommend to any baseball fan or to anyone even remotely keen on exploring the human condition. Bravo!
I recommend to any baseball fan or to anyone even remotely keen on exploring the human condition. Bravo!
January 19, 2023
Sad to read the details on Cammy. The BEST of the best! He will always be a favorite of mine. What a great guy that pushed through so many challenges. RIP Cammy.
March 16, 2022
Ken Caminiti was the brilliant third baseman for the Houston Astros and the San Diego Padres. He was also an addict. This book takes a look at his life and the circumstances that led to his drinking (starting in middle school), drug problem, steroid use, and death.
This is a well-researched, well-written biography of a flawed man who couldn't escape the vicious cycle he was in. A combination of personal trauma, ultra-competitive personality, and a league that turned a blind eye to performance enhancing drugs was the perfect storm for him. This is a cautionary tale for parents, athletes, and those with addictive personality traits.
It is heartbreaking to read of the many times he tried and failed to get his life together. Numerous friends and family members intervened. He was an adult and was responsible for his choices, but he could not overcome them on his own, and he refused help.
If this is you, please get help. Don't let your life waste away out of pride or shame. Life is precious, and Ken Caminiti is a reminder of what happens when you don't treat it that way.
Not family friendly due to language, drug/alcohol use, and adult themes.
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book. My opinion is my own.
This is a well-researched, well-written biography of a flawed man who couldn't escape the vicious cycle he was in. A combination of personal trauma, ultra-competitive personality, and a league that turned a blind eye to performance enhancing drugs was the perfect storm for him. This is a cautionary tale for parents, athletes, and those with addictive personality traits.
It is heartbreaking to read of the many times he tried and failed to get his life together. Numerous friends and family members intervened. He was an adult and was responsible for his choices, but he could not overcome them on his own, and he refused help.
If this is you, please get help. Don't let your life waste away out of pride or shame. Life is precious, and Ken Caminiti is a reminder of what happens when you don't treat it that way.
Not family friendly due to language, drug/alcohol use, and adult themes.
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of the book. My opinion is my own.
March 19, 2023
Good tells an excellent story. You go back and forth regarding your feelings about Ken Caminiti, but feel sorrow for his circumstances. All the history of baseball during Caminiti's career was a great way to get prepped for the upcoming season.
July 24, 2022
*This review is for the audiobook edition.
So detailed. Well done! Only gripe is the pronunciation of Ken’s last name throughout the book.
RIP. Just poured out a sip of beer for him.
So detailed. Well done! Only gripe is the pronunciation of Ken’s last name throughout the book.
RIP. Just poured out a sip of beer for him.
April 11, 2022
This book is a powerful book about a complicated man. I highly recommend it to all baseball fans.
Ken Caminiti is presented fairly and objectlively in the book. It's obvious that Dan Good and the interviewees have a lot of love for Ken Caminiti. There are countless recountings of all the kindness and empathy Ken showed to others. But Good doesn't shy away from recounting Ken's bad behavior. We're told about the unreliable and erratic person Ken became when he backslid into his addictions. The last 2 chapters didn't sugar coat how far from the right path Ken had strayed towards the end of life.
The book is very engaging. Some biographies make the mistake of providing endless anecdotes about the same topic. Good has a deft touch in fleshing out Ken as a person, but not over telling the anecdotes. By the end of the book, I felt like Ken was an old friend. He's definitely someone I'd have liked to meet.
If you grew up watching baseball in 1980s and 1990s, this book will bring up a lot of memories. Pick it up now.
Ken Caminiti is presented fairly and objectlively in the book. It's obvious that Dan Good and the interviewees have a lot of love for Ken Caminiti. There are countless recountings of all the kindness and empathy Ken showed to others. But Good doesn't shy away from recounting Ken's bad behavior. We're told about the unreliable and erratic person Ken became when he backslid into his addictions. The last 2 chapters didn't sugar coat how far from the right path Ken had strayed towards the end of life.
The book is very engaging. Some biographies make the mistake of providing endless anecdotes about the same topic. Good has a deft touch in fleshing out Ken as a person, but not over telling the anecdotes. By the end of the book, I felt like Ken was an old friend. He's definitely someone I'd have liked to meet.
If you grew up watching baseball in 1980s and 1990s, this book will bring up a lot of memories. Pick it up now.
September 5, 2023
I want to congratulate Dan Good on his dazzling accomplishment in writing this book. It is a must read for anyone with an interest in the past, present, or future of baseball. The book is impeccably sourced; the notes state that Good talked with more than 400 people, including myself and many others who were classmates of Ken Caminiti during our formative years in San Jose, CA. I knew Ken from third grade through high school graduation. It must be very difficult to paint a portrait of someone who is deceased, but Good has pulled it off through exhaustive interviewing and active listening. As the author points out, Caminiti deserves to be remembered for his courage in admitting his steroid use while Bonds, McGwire, Sosa et al. were lying their way into the record books. Well done, Dan. RIP, Kenny.
December 26, 2022
I am a lifelong baseball fan, and I grabbed this book mostly on impulse, having fond memories of Ken Caminiti and that period of baseball from the late ‘80’s the early 2000’s. I could not put this engrossing book down. Author Dan Good did tremendously deep research to produce a detailed look at a tragic and magnificent life. I was at times amazed by the lack of inclusion of Caminiti’s personal life and analysis of that in the midst of such deep research (his marriage and role as a father). But I believe his ex-wife likely is protecting her privacy and that of her girls, and Good followed that lead. This book will make you think about the costs of competing at such a high level, the realities of addiction, and the beautiful realities of Major League Baseball.
November 1, 2022
When one thinks of the Steroid Era in Major League Baseball, Ken Caminiti is not always the first name that comes to mind (Canseco, McGwire, Bonds, etc.). But it was Caminiti who first admitted--on the record--taking anabolic performance-enhancing drugs while in MLB. In "Playing Through the Pain", author Dan Good does a remarkable job of capturing that story.
This book is largely a straightforward biography of Caminiti. Perhaps a little odd considering it is ostensibly about his late-career steroid use, but it takes an examination of Ken's entire life to truly get to the bottom of how/why steroids came to define him. From an addictive (cocaine and alcohol) personality to the aches-and-pains that come from constant baseball to a culture that put little obstacles in his way, Good really unpacks how Caminiti let steroids take over his life--and ultimately cause his untimely demise.
At the same time, Good never forgets Caminiti's humanity. Beloved (at times) by both the Astros and Padres organizations, a series of interviews/conversations show that Ken had a support system that vehemently tried to pull him back from his addictive ledge. But try as they might, Ken was not able to shake those demons. Somewhat ironically/sadly, however, his willingness to talk about all this to Sports Illustrated was the first step in getting the ball rolling on MLB's eventual PED testing.
Though the subject matter turns a bit dark towards the end and this isn't a story with a happy ending, I highly recommend "Playing Through the Pain" to two crowds: those who remember Caminiti and want to learn more about him, and those who want a remarkably detailed picture of what compels an athlete to turn to performance-enhancing drugs (and how it isn't all mustache-twirling deviousness, to be sure).
This book is largely a straightforward biography of Caminiti. Perhaps a little odd considering it is ostensibly about his late-career steroid use, but it takes an examination of Ken's entire life to truly get to the bottom of how/why steroids came to define him. From an addictive (cocaine and alcohol) personality to the aches-and-pains that come from constant baseball to a culture that put little obstacles in his way, Good really unpacks how Caminiti let steroids take over his life--and ultimately cause his untimely demise.
At the same time, Good never forgets Caminiti's humanity. Beloved (at times) by both the Astros and Padres organizations, a series of interviews/conversations show that Ken had a support system that vehemently tried to pull him back from his addictive ledge. But try as they might, Ken was not able to shake those demons. Somewhat ironically/sadly, however, his willingness to talk about all this to Sports Illustrated was the first step in getting the ball rolling on MLB's eventual PED testing.
Though the subject matter turns a bit dark towards the end and this isn't a story with a happy ending, I highly recommend "Playing Through the Pain" to two crowds: those who remember Caminiti and want to learn more about him, and those who want a remarkably detailed picture of what compels an athlete to turn to performance-enhancing drugs (and how it isn't all mustache-twirling deviousness, to be sure).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 21, 2022
This story reveals the tragic story of the immensely talented Ken Caminiti, both on and off the field. This book contained so much specificity and depth that it was impossible not to hear your own heart breaking. Caminiti wasn’t a perfect person, but he was a force to be reckoned with. This story serves as a reminder to speak your truth no matter what. Beautifully-written and masterfully told, this book would make a beautiful library addition to any and all fans of the greatest game in America.
April 17, 2024
Story of the former Houston Astros and San Diego Padres star whose combined use of street drugs and performance-enhancing drugs killed him at 41. Author relied on a remarkable number of sources, some of whom admitted they provided Caminiti with the drugs and others who admitted using themselves. Author did seem to have trouble determining whether to write a straight narrative or have an opinion, which he winds expressing occasionally (such as faulting former baseball Commissioner Bud Selig in the PED scandal). It’s a shame this book hasn’t gotten more renown, cautionary tale that it is.
June 23, 2022
I was a huge Caminiti fan as a teenager in the 90's.
I had no idea he was such a terrible addict, particularly during his playing days.
This was a fascinating read for me.
I had no idea he was such a terrible addict, particularly during his playing days.
This was a fascinating read for me.
February 22, 2023
Inspiring and heartbreaking at the same time.
January 14, 2025
Wow I grew up watching Ken play for the Astros and Padres and this book really opened my eyes to not only his younger years but all the things he struggled with. He was very open and truthful about his addictions and downfalls but he lived the game of baseball and his family. Addiction is a disease and it ended up getting the best of his. RIP Ken
January 22, 2023
I just finished this book … I loved it. My love of baseball reignited in the 1990’s in San Diego. I felt so lucky to be seeing the Padres during that time. Seeing Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn hit the 5.5 hole, witnessing Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman save game after game, counting how many times Steve Finley adjusted himself while at bat and seeing Ken Caminiti’s MVP season throwing people out while sitting on his ass after making a great diving play.
This book goes deep into Cammy’s ups and downs. Family, alcohol, drugs, sobriety, second chances and the sad ending (I cried).
I don’t read a ton of books so I don’t really know if this one is well written or poorly written, I just know that I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to any fans of baseball.
This book goes deep into Cammy’s ups and downs. Family, alcohol, drugs, sobriety, second chances and the sad ending (I cried).
I don’t read a ton of books so I don’t really know if this one is well written or poorly written, I just know that I thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend it to any fans of baseball.
July 8, 2023
Kudos to Mr. Good for producing an entertaining, well-researched book about a relatively obscure ballplayer who became a star, mainly because of PEDs. Mr. Good did an excellent job telling a story about a well-intentioned, selfless human being who also fought his personal demons through harmful self-medications. I was a fan of Caminiti's, and always will be...especially after reading this book. Thank you, Mr. Good for tackling this subject.
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February 28, 2024Problemi durante l'iniezione di steroidi anabolizzanti: infiammazione e gonfiore
Qui leggerai le principali cause del dolore muscolare dopo le iniezioni di steroidi anabolizzanti e androgeni
1. Precipitazioni causate da esteri veloci
Più lentamente un estere si decompone, più è solubile nella soluzione oleosa in cui si trova e viceversa (il testosterone enantato è molto più solubile del testosterone propionato, ad esempio). Ciò rende necessaria una maggiore concentrazione di alcol benzilico (BA) per proteggere il principio attivo dalla decomposizione e dalla precipitazione (come avviene con Winstrol e sospensione di testosterone). Quando viene iniettata la soluzione oleosa, il BA viene assorbito localmente dal deposito petrolifero. Questa bassa solubilità in alcune soluzioni porta alla precipitazione di cristalli microscopici nel tessuto muscolare. Ciò provoca dolore, rigidità e talvolta gonfiore e arrossamento.
- Ciò potrebbe essere evitato se alla soluzione oleosa fosse aggiunto il benzil benzoato, che aiuta a sciogliere i principi attivi "corti" (come il testosterone propionato).
2. Elevate quantità di alcol benzilico
L'alcol benzilico (BA) viene utilizzato per aumentare la solubilità dei principi attivi esteri e per prevenire la diffusione di batteri nella soluzione oleosa. La maggior parte dei produttori di steroidi NON farmaceutici utilizza BA solo come ulteriore aiuto alla solubilità a causa del suo costo inferiore. Sfortunatamente, però, il BA può causare proprio questo dolore e infiammazione a causa della sua "ostilità" nei confronti della flora naturale del corpo umano.
- Ciò potrebbe essere evitato mediante l'utilizzo di ulteriore olio sterile come quello di: semi d'uva, semi di cotone, sesamo, ecc. Un rapporto 1:1 funzionerebbe bene nella maggior parte dei casi
3. Alta concentrazione del principio attivo
La quantità di principio attivo nelle soluzioni iniettabili varia entro limiti relativamente ampi ma stabiliti, vale a dire tra 50 e 250 mg (alcune aziende non farmaceutiche offrono anche soluzioni con un principio attivo di 300-400 mg per 1 ml di soluzione). Nel caso generale, tuttavia, circa 200-250 mg/ml è la quantità massima e include Testosterone Cypionate, Enanthate, Omnadren, Sustanon, Deca durabolin, ecc. La maggiore quantità di principio attivo rende nuovamente necessaria la necessità di dosi più elevate di alcol benzilico. A causa del lento assorbimento di alcuni testosterone, Deca, Boldenone, ecc. il dolore può verificarsi dopo che il BA è già stato assorbito dall'organismo. Ciò fa sì che il principio attivo si stabilizzi nuovamente e risulti duro (grumoso).
- Con le soluzioni più lente e con un contenuto maggiore per 1 ml, il dolore si osserva molto meno spesso, poiché sono più facilmente solubili nella soluzione oleosa.
4. Spostamento della fascia muscolare
Ciò potrebbe verificarsi con grandi quantità di soluzione iniettate in un sito (più di 2-3 ml alla volta). La soluzione oleosa spinge la fascia del muscolo verso l'esterno, il che può allungarla o strapparla e danneggiare l'integrità delle fibre muscolari in quella posizione.
- Distribuendo la grande quantità di soluzione in più punti del corpo, questo effetto dannoso potrebbe essere evitato
5. Infezione/ascesso
Questo è l'effetto collaterale peggiore che potrebbe verificarsi dopo l'iniezione di una soluzione di qualsiasi tipo. L'infezione potrebbe causare forte dolore, arrossamento, bruciore (nel sito), indurimento, febbre, ritenzione di pus, ecc. In molti casi, l'ascesso può essere incapsulato e passare senza febbre alta, ma può portare a un intervento chirurgico, che interromperà l'attività fisica per almeno 2-3 settimane.
- Le precauzioni contro le infezioni sono ben note: uso di alcol prima e dopo l'iniezione, uso singolo di un ago e di una siringa, lavaggio delle mani prima, ecc. Un'altra cosa importante da sapere è che gli iniettabili idrosolubili non contengono alcol benzilico, il che li rende soluzioni NON sterili. Devi stare estremamente attento con loro quando scegli la fonte da cui acquistarli!
Altre raccomandazioni di base per evitare il dolore causato dalle iniezioni sono:
- Posizionare sempre la soluzione in un muscolo completamente rilassato (non in contrazione)
- Evitare preparati di dubbia origine non farmaceutica
- Alternare più punti in cui inserire la soluzione iniettabile
- Non refrigerare le soluzioni oleose poiché ciò le rende più dense e più difficili da iniettare
- Aggiungi benzil benzoato a propionato e fenilpropionato e altri principi attivi ad assorbimento rapido
- Iniettare lentamente la soluzione
Qui leggerai le principali cause del dolore muscolare dopo le iniezioni di steroidi anabolizzanti e androgeni
1. Precipitazioni causate da esteri veloci
Più lentamente un estere si decompone, più è solubile nella soluzione oleosa in cui si trova e viceversa (il testosterone enantato è molto più solubile del testosterone propionato, ad esempio). Ciò rende necessaria una maggiore concentrazione di alcol benzilico (BA) per proteggere il principio attivo dalla decomposizione e dalla precipitazione (come avviene con Winstrol e sospensione di testosterone). Quando viene iniettata la soluzione oleosa, il BA viene assorbito localmente dal deposito petrolifero. Questa bassa solubilità in alcune soluzioni porta alla precipitazione di cristalli microscopici nel tessuto muscolare. Ciò provoca dolore, rigidità e talvolta gonfiore e arrossamento.
- Ciò potrebbe essere evitato se alla soluzione oleosa fosse aggiunto il benzil benzoato, che aiuta a sciogliere i principi attivi "corti" (come il testosterone propionato).
2. Elevate quantità di alcol benzilico
L'alcol benzilico (BA) viene utilizzato per aumentare la solubilità dei principi attivi esteri e per prevenire la diffusione di batteri nella soluzione oleosa. La maggior parte dei produttori di steroidi NON farmaceutici utilizza BA solo come ulteriore aiuto alla solubilità a causa del suo costo inferiore. Sfortunatamente, però, il BA può causare proprio questo dolore e infiammazione a causa della sua "ostilità" nei confronti della flora naturale del corpo umano.
- Ciò potrebbe essere evitato mediante l'utilizzo di ulteriore olio sterile come quello di: semi d'uva, semi di cotone, sesamo, ecc. Un rapporto 1:1 funzionerebbe bene nella maggior parte dei casi
3. Alta concentrazione del principio attivo
La quantità di principio attivo nelle soluzioni iniettabili varia entro limiti relativamente ampi ma stabiliti, vale a dire tra 50 e 250 mg (alcune aziende non farmaceutiche offrono anche soluzioni con un principio attivo di 300-400 mg per 1 ml di soluzione). Nel caso generale, tuttavia, circa 200-250 mg/ml è la quantità massima e include Testosterone Cypionate, Enanthate, Omnadren, Sustanon, Deca durabolin, ecc. La maggiore quantità di principio attivo rende nuovamente necessaria la necessità di dosi più elevate di alcol benzilico. A causa del lento assorbimento di alcuni testosterone, Deca, Boldenone, ecc. il dolore può verificarsi dopo che il BA è già stato assorbito dall'organismo. Ciò fa sì che il principio attivo si stabilizzi nuovamente e risulti duro (grumoso).
- Con le soluzioni più lente e con un contenuto maggiore per 1 ml, il dolore si osserva molto meno spesso, poiché sono più facilmente solubili nella soluzione oleosa.
4. Spostamento della fascia muscolare
Ciò potrebbe verificarsi con grandi quantità di soluzione iniettate in un sito (più di 2-3 ml alla volta). La soluzione oleosa spinge la fascia del muscolo verso l'esterno, il che può allungarla o strapparla e danneggiare l'integrità delle fibre muscolari in quella posizione.
- Distribuendo la grande quantità di soluzione in più punti del corpo, questo effetto dannoso potrebbe essere evitato
5. Infezione/ascesso
Questo è l'effetto collaterale peggiore che potrebbe verificarsi dopo l'iniezione di una soluzione di qualsiasi tipo. L'infezione potrebbe causare forte dolore, arrossamento, bruciore (nel sito), indurimento, febbre, ritenzione di pus, ecc. In molti casi, l'ascesso può essere incapsulato e passare senza febbre alta, ma può portare a un intervento chirurgico, che interromperà l'attività fisica per almeno 2-3 settimane.
- Le precauzioni contro le infezioni sono ben note: uso di alcol prima e dopo l'iniezione, uso singolo di un ago e di una siringa, lavaggio delle mani prima, ecc. Un'altra cosa importante da sapere è che gli iniettabili idrosolubili non contengono alcol benzilico, il che li rende soluzioni NON sterili. Devi stare estremamente attento con loro quando scegli la fonte da cui acquistarli!
Altre raccomandazioni di base per evitare il dolore causato dalle iniezioni sono:
- Posizionare sempre la soluzione in un muscolo completamente rilassato (non in contrazione)
- Evitare preparati di dubbia origine non farmaceutica
- Alternare più punti in cui inserire la soluzione iniettabile
- Non refrigerare le soluzioni oleose poiché ciò le rende più dense e più difficili da iniettare
- Aggiungi benzil benzoato a propionato e fenilpropionato e altri principi attivi ad assorbimento rapido
- Iniettare lentamente la soluzione
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: STEROID USER 1996 MVP… DRUG OVERDOSE & DEAD 2004
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The biography of former Major League Baseball Player Ken Caminiti… though well written… is a stark… depressing… literary trip… down a SELF-IMPOSED-DARKER-THAN-DARK-ONE-WAY-DEAD-END-ALLEY! I would not add alley of life to that statement… since… Caminiti forged a direct short lifetime with an unavoidable conclusion resulting in an early death. From an early age his life was built around alcohol and drugs. The intake got greater and the drugs got stronger. He added steroids in at great amounts as he made his way up the baseball ladder… and in his deal with the devil… he blatantly did not care whether it was against the law… against the rules of baseball… and that it activated a biological alarm clock for death. It also never once bothered him or made him think twice… that in the most competitive of worlds… where everyone kept score… that he was cheating in the worst ways… and the honor of competing against “gentleman” who put their entire life’s work on the line… and paid the price to be the best… with the one true understanding… from the get go… that the very core… and soul… of the greatest competitions… are battled and performed on a LEVEL-PLAYING-FIELD! So as Caminiti never even blinked twice… in the fact that his cheating with the constant use of steroids… made it impossible to ever truly being even close… to the pedestal other “clean” ballplayers deservedly were placed on… regardless of any statistics or falsely earned awards he may have accumulated.
Despite the fact that the author does a fine job of writing and research… and has an enjoyable habit of a little over the top analogies such as… “Kenny gravitated to football where he could hit as hard as he wanted, a locomotive with a departure time every thirty seconds or so.”… or… “For Ken, watching Snyder play and riding the pine and getting called “Tiger” was like flossing with sandpaper.” Despite these frivolities’… it is at times a hard book to continue reading… due to the dark constant self-destruction by Caminiti. Drugs before games… after games… during games… alcohol… cocaine…. Crack cocaine… weed… amphetamines (greenies)… and if you can believe this… he even liked to take (yes take) the date rape drug with a beer before games to calm himself! He destroyed his family… relationships and career… and what’s almost as bad… total disrespect to paying… loving… die-hard fans… that despite all the denials almost everyone in baseball knew about him and others. It’s an absolute lie that the baseball community from top to bottom didn’t know it. And that includes some of his managers such as Bruce Bochy (as described by the author) “as having a size 8 noggin”… and Hall of Fame skipper Bobby Cox.
As far as the rampant steroid use throughout baseball… one of Caminiti’s numerous drug providers was his childhood friend Dave Moretti. After Moretti’s name became known for providing steroids to Caminiti his phone rang off the hook from other ballplayers. If you’ve ever watched a movie where a character smokes constantly through the movie and it becomes sickening… or you watch a program where an alcoholic is shown drinking non-stop… that is this book… WELL… IT’S THIS BOOK ON “STEROIDS!” It’s not only hard to read at times… it’s infuriating as a human being AND AS A BASEBALL FAN… on how hypocritical the whole baseball environment is to the outside world regarding illegal drug use and the unworldly counterfeit statistics.
It’s worth me including this bittersweet gem from the greatest San Diego Padre in history and a former teammate of Caminiti… the late-great-Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn:
“FOLLOWING THEIR CAREERS, AFTER KEN’S STEROID USE BECAME WIDELY KNOWN, GWYNN PENNED AN INTERESTING COLUMN FOR ESPN, WRITING, “ALTHOUGH I STILL LOVE THE GUY, KNOWING HE TOOK STEROIDS—AT LEAST DURING HIS MVP SEASON IN 1996—TAINTS WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED AS WELL AS BASEBALL’S INTEGRITY. AS A FORMER TEAMMATE WHO WAS ON THE FIELD WORKING ALONGSIDE HIM, IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO KNOW CAMINITI WAS DOING SOMETHING TO ENHANCE HIS ABILITIES.”
There are no winners in this book… there’s no high ground that was even attempted. It may be factual…but it is a dismal… deeply depressing … rock bottom story. Caminiti loses… baseball loses… and as always the loyal… paying fan loses. Especially if you slosh through this literary quagmire!
NOTE: AUTHOR-MISTAKE: On page 195 the author describes a game and says Eric Karros of the Dodgers is second base… THAT IS INCORRECT HE WAS A FIRST BASEMAN.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The biography of former Major League Baseball Player Ken Caminiti… though well written… is a stark… depressing… literary trip… down a SELF-IMPOSED-DARKER-THAN-DARK-ONE-WAY-DEAD-END-ALLEY! I would not add alley of life to that statement… since… Caminiti forged a direct short lifetime with an unavoidable conclusion resulting in an early death. From an early age his life was built around alcohol and drugs. The intake got greater and the drugs got stronger. He added steroids in at great amounts as he made his way up the baseball ladder… and in his deal with the devil… he blatantly did not care whether it was against the law… against the rules of baseball… and that it activated a biological alarm clock for death. It also never once bothered him or made him think twice… that in the most competitive of worlds… where everyone kept score… that he was cheating in the worst ways… and the honor of competing against “gentleman” who put their entire life’s work on the line… and paid the price to be the best… with the one true understanding… from the get go… that the very core… and soul… of the greatest competitions… are battled and performed on a LEVEL-PLAYING-FIELD! So as Caminiti never even blinked twice… in the fact that his cheating with the constant use of steroids… made it impossible to ever truly being even close… to the pedestal other “clean” ballplayers deservedly were placed on… regardless of any statistics or falsely earned awards he may have accumulated.
Despite the fact that the author does a fine job of writing and research… and has an enjoyable habit of a little over the top analogies such as… “Kenny gravitated to football where he could hit as hard as he wanted, a locomotive with a departure time every thirty seconds or so.”… or… “For Ken, watching Snyder play and riding the pine and getting called “Tiger” was like flossing with sandpaper.” Despite these frivolities’… it is at times a hard book to continue reading… due to the dark constant self-destruction by Caminiti. Drugs before games… after games… during games… alcohol… cocaine…. Crack cocaine… weed… amphetamines (greenies)… and if you can believe this… he even liked to take (yes take) the date rape drug with a beer before games to calm himself! He destroyed his family… relationships and career… and what’s almost as bad… total disrespect to paying… loving… die-hard fans… that despite all the denials almost everyone in baseball knew about him and others. It’s an absolute lie that the baseball community from top to bottom didn’t know it. And that includes some of his managers such as Bruce Bochy (as described by the author) “as having a size 8 noggin”… and Hall of Fame skipper Bobby Cox.
As far as the rampant steroid use throughout baseball… one of Caminiti’s numerous drug providers was his childhood friend Dave Moretti. After Moretti’s name became known for providing steroids to Caminiti his phone rang off the hook from other ballplayers. If you’ve ever watched a movie where a character smokes constantly through the movie and it becomes sickening… or you watch a program where an alcoholic is shown drinking non-stop… that is this book… WELL… IT’S THIS BOOK ON “STEROIDS!” It’s not only hard to read at times… it’s infuriating as a human being AND AS A BASEBALL FAN… on how hypocritical the whole baseball environment is to the outside world regarding illegal drug use and the unworldly counterfeit statistics.
It’s worth me including this bittersweet gem from the greatest San Diego Padre in history and a former teammate of Caminiti… the late-great-Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn:
“FOLLOWING THEIR CAREERS, AFTER KEN’S STEROID USE BECAME WIDELY KNOWN, GWYNN PENNED AN INTERESTING COLUMN FOR ESPN, WRITING, “ALTHOUGH I STILL LOVE THE GUY, KNOWING HE TOOK STEROIDS—AT LEAST DURING HIS MVP SEASON IN 1996—TAINTS WHAT HE ACCOMPLISHED AS WELL AS BASEBALL’S INTEGRITY. AS A FORMER TEAMMATE WHO WAS ON THE FIELD WORKING ALONGSIDE HIM, IT IS DISAPPOINTING TO KNOW CAMINITI WAS DOING SOMETHING TO ENHANCE HIS ABILITIES.”
There are no winners in this book… there’s no high ground that was even attempted. It may be factual…but it is a dismal… deeply depressing … rock bottom story. Caminiti loses… baseball loses… and as always the loyal… paying fan loses. Especially if you slosh through this literary quagmire!
NOTE: AUTHOR-MISTAKE: On page 195 the author describes a game and says Eric Karros of the Dodgers is second base… THAT IS INCORRECT HE WAS A FIRST BASEMAN.
June 18, 2024
The steroid era is one of the most controversial time periods in all of sports, and certainly in the history of America’s pastime. People were thrilled by the achievements of the players in the era, breaking classic long standing records and performing great feats on the diamond. Only a few years later, many of those same people denigrated those individuals for violating the sanctity of the sport. The steroid era, it can be argued, saved baseball following the ill-will of the 1994 lockout season, and yet it remains mired in controversy. In this examination of the life of Ken Caminiti, Dan Good gives us the life of a too-forgotten baseball player who had a significant impact upon the game in his prime, and whose post-career admissions about steroid usage helped turn the tide in the battle against steroids in the major leagues.
Good is very sympathetic to Caminiti in this narrative, depicting his protagonist as a tragic hero, caught up in the age he played in, and who suffered the consequences of a damaged and broken system. But he does not excuse Caminiti either, rather choosing to recognize head on the triumphs and travails in the life of this forgotten major leaguer who was once considered to be the cream of the crop in The Show. Tracing the origins of his baseball career, his cultivation of steroids, the reasons for their use, their outcomes, and the aftermath of decisions made by Caminiti and, by extension, the MLB, Good paints a full picture of what life was often like for these major leaguers using enhanced drugs. There is no argument on the morality of what Caminiti did, but rather a study of why and how. That perspective makes this book a worthy read for those curious about the steroid era in baseball, one that has managed to separate itself from the outrage of the immediate aftermath, and look back with a more understanding eye. A bittersweet but worthwhile baseball read.
Good is very sympathetic to Caminiti in this narrative, depicting his protagonist as a tragic hero, caught up in the age he played in, and who suffered the consequences of a damaged and broken system. But he does not excuse Caminiti either, rather choosing to recognize head on the triumphs and travails in the life of this forgotten major leaguer who was once considered to be the cream of the crop in The Show. Tracing the origins of his baseball career, his cultivation of steroids, the reasons for their use, their outcomes, and the aftermath of decisions made by Caminiti and, by extension, the MLB, Good paints a full picture of what life was often like for these major leaguers using enhanced drugs. There is no argument on the morality of what Caminiti did, but rather a study of why and how. That perspective makes this book a worthy read for those curious about the steroid era in baseball, one that has managed to separate itself from the outrage of the immediate aftermath, and look back with a more understanding eye. A bittersweet but worthwhile baseball read.
September 3, 2024
I didn't want to like this book as much as I did. Ken Caminiti took steroids, especially during the 1996 season and since he basically took over the final weekend series against my LA Dodgers, LA didn't win the division and then had to play the World Champion Braves in the first round. But I got over all that soon into this book as I realized although Caminiti was a troubled and very flawed man, he also had a big heart and could be a really good person when not mixed up with the wrong crowd. This book is a bio of his whole life, and the rise and numerous downfalls in it. You keep wanting him to pull away and escape the pain and demons of steroids and other hard drugs, but we all know the end story when reading this and that's what makes it heartbreaking. However, the book is VERY well researched and written. Flawless. And due to this I had to give it five stars. I could not have asked for more in this book. Reading this book I felt like I was the extra person in the room, (usually yelling, 'Get out of there!'). Padres fans will enjoy this book a little more than others as it brings up some good teams, but warning, this book is tough to get through. But this book is an important one and seems more official than Jose Canseco's book Juiced on the steroid subject. I actually enjoyed this book a little more than Game of Shadows, which was also very well reported.
November 11, 2022
I am a SD Padres fan. I became a Padres fan because we lived close to Jack Murphy Stadium and I always loved the awe and excitement I felt when I walked through the tunnel and saw the playing field. There is nothing like it!
I remember the 1996-1998 seasons. When the Padres won the National League Pennant my son and I drove to the stadium blasting Hell's Bell's by AC/DC. Every player had a song. And I loved Ken Caminiti and all the other players that went to the World Series. It was so exciting. But reading this book and learning about the demons that Camy had makes me so sad. Yes, there were a lot of players doing steroids and the scores proved that. But the other stuff, cocaine, speed balls, what ever that made me think a little less of Camy and a lot sad. So often those that work hard to get where they are at the apex of their talent feel like they don't deserve that success. The writer does a good job of showing that the pressure was of Camy's making and it came from his feelings in the past.
I still love the 1998 Padres and it was wonderful to see the 2022 Padres make the run for the pennant. I hope they are all healthy and well and enjoying where they are at this time.
I remember the 1996-1998 seasons. When the Padres won the National League Pennant my son and I drove to the stadium blasting Hell's Bell's by AC/DC. Every player had a song. And I loved Ken Caminiti and all the other players that went to the World Series. It was so exciting. But reading this book and learning about the demons that Camy had makes me so sad. Yes, there were a lot of players doing steroids and the scores proved that. But the other stuff, cocaine, speed balls, what ever that made me think a little less of Camy and a lot sad. So often those that work hard to get where they are at the apex of their talent feel like they don't deserve that success. The writer does a good job of showing that the pressure was of Camy's making and it came from his feelings in the past.
I still love the 1998 Padres and it was wonderful to see the 2022 Padres make the run for the pennant. I hope they are all healthy and well and enjoying where they are at this time.
October 2, 2023
This was an extremely tough, yet powerful book to read. I was a huge Ken Caminiti mark when he was in his prime and what happened to him is just sad. He was a victim of sexual abuse as a child and never was able to properly process the trauma in a healthy manner. He started drinking in high school and took greenies in the minors as a way to keep his energy levels high. This turned into steroids and eventually, crack and meth. He played his MVP season in 1996 with a shoulder so mangled that the surgeons couldn't believe he could lift his arm at all. The steroids built so much muscle tissue that it made it look like a train wreck. He never could quite get himself clean for any extended period of time, costing him everything he loved (career, wife and 3 daughters, etc.) He also was open and honest about steroids and how prevalent they were at the time. He was close with guys like Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell and was loved universally with all his teams. His final chapter was passing away from a speedball (same as John Belushi and Chris Farley) in New York in 2004. A sad ending to what was a sad life. A great book.
A-
A-
May 26, 2022
Honest exploration of the highs and lows of the life and career of Ken Caminiti. Most readers likely already know about the steroid use and complicated man that Caminiti was, yet this book does a great job of amplifying the why behind the steroid use. The author does not make excuses for Caminiti, but rather takes the facts and insight from 400+ interviews to piece together the whole picture, for better or worse. The book also reinforces the notion that not only was the use of steroids rampant in MLB, but it was also not a well-kept secret. Many denials are extinguished by the sources in this book, and some context of the why is provided as well. The book succeeded by not just highlighting the salacious aspects of Caminiti and offering insight into his motivations, struggles, and personality.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
June 22, 2022
This is a cautionary tale about the hazards of drug use that features a baseball player, Ken Caminiti. As I read it, I was reminded of similar books about rock singers: how extreme talent could not be overcome by personal demons. I remember Caminiti as a good player, but not one who succeeded at a high level for many years. Whether he is deserving of a certain nobility because he was one of the first players to discuss steroid abuse in baseball is a debatable premise, especially since he waited until his career was over before coming clean. There are better books on this subject, and you might find yourself thinking about them as you slog through the author's interminable accounts of game action.
June 15, 2023
I liked it. Not exactly a page turner, as it had a somewhat bland journalistic style to it (it read a bit like a newspaper article for most of the book, which is less engaging when its 300 pages long) but it told a story about a really interesting person and was clearly incredibly well researched. I went in as a baseball fan expecting to read about the exposure of the steroid era through a player I actually hadn’t heard of before reading the book, but instead ended up with a biography of Ken Caminiti, whose story was both engaging and sad. It focuses far more on his playing career, drug abuse and use of steroids with only about two chapters at the end covering his whistleblowing of the steroid issue to the press and the chaos that followed.
July 8, 2024
I grew up watching Caminiti, Bagwell, Biggio, and many other names in the Astrodome in the 90’s. So this book has special significance for me. It gave me a much deeper look not only into Caminiti’s baseball career and the impact of his steroid use and subsequent confession on baseball, but also his personal life and challenges. One can only feel compassion for his struggles especially when everyone loved him and he was a humble, caring person. Worth a read if you’re an Astros fan or baseball fan in general.
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