Former MVP Caminiti arrested on drug charges

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 RBIs for the Rangers and, after being released in July, batted .222 with six homers and 16 RBIs 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 RBIs.

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.