Ken Caminiti

Ken Caminiti was a professional baseball player born in 1963, who played primarily as a position player from 1987 until his retirement on October 7, 2001. Over the course of his 14-year Major League Baseball career, he appeared in 1,760 games and established himself as a formidable presence at the plate. Caminiti accumulated 1,710 hits, 239 home runs, and 983 runs batted in, finishing his career with a batting average of .272. Known for his power and defensive skills, he also demonstrated speed on the bases, recording 88 stolen bases. Caminiti was a three-time All-Star, earning recognition for his contributions to the game during a competitive era marked by the emergence of powerful sluggers. His most notable season came in 1996 when he won the National League Most Valuable Player award while playing for the San Diego Padres. This achievement solidified his legacy as one of the premier third basemen of his time. Despite the challenges and controversies of the era, including the ongoing discussions around performance-enhancing substances, Caminiti's impact on the field remained significant, making him a memorable figure in baseball history.