When Ken Caminiti stunned everyone with his unapologetic steroid usage confession

In 2002, former big leaguer Ken Caminiti made a shocking revelation and acknowledged using performance-enhancing drugs in 1996. This was the same year Caminiti was named the National League Most Valuable Player.

Caminiti claimed that the year he hit a career-best for the San Diego Padres and batted 326 with 40 home runs and 130 RBIs, he had utilized steroids. According to Caminiti, at least half of the players in the big leagues utilized performance-enhancing substances.

''I've made a ton of mistakes,'' said Caminiti. "I don't think using steroids is one of them. It's no secret what's going on in baseball. At least half the guys are using steroids. They talk about it. They joke about it with each other.''

Caminiti spent 15 season in MLB. He is a member of the Padres Hall of Fame and was selected as the National League's (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1996 while playing for San Diego.

Ken Caminiti died of a cocaine and heroin drug overdose

Ken Caminiti was released from the Houston Harris County Jail five days before he passed away on Oct. 10 in 2004 after spending four weeks there after testing positive for narcotics and breaking his probation. Since his arrest in 2001 for carrying less than a gram of cocaine, he tested positive four times.

While playing with the Padres, Caminiti received three Gold Glove Awards and was chosen by the players as the National League MVP in 1996. He made appearances in the All Star games in 1994, 1996 and 1997. Caminiti has the highest lifetime slugging percentage (.540) and OPS (.924) for the Padres.

Caminiti was hired by the Padres to work as a spring training coach for his old team after his playing career in baseball.

Philadelphia Phillies v San Diego Padres

Ken Caminiti was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame posthumously in 2016.