Former NL MVP Caminiti, 41, dies of heart attack

"He didn't look good," Towers said. "The best way to describe him is that he was a warrior in every sense of the word. I can't tell you how many times I remember him hobbling into the manager's office, barely able to walk, and saying, 'Put me in the lineup.'"

Licht said Caminiti was in New York this past weekend to help a friend, but did not go into detail.

"Man, that's just a tough one. I played with him for eight years," Dodgers outfielder Steve Finley said Sunday night, learning of Caminiti's death after St. Louis eliminated Los Angeles from the playoffs.

"He was a great player, but he got mixed up in the wrong things -- taking drugs. It's a sad reminder of how bad drugs are and what they can do to your body. It's a loss all of us will feel."

Caminiti batted .272 with 239 homers and 983 RBI for Houston, San Diego, Texas and Atlanta.

His defining moment during his MVP season came Aug. 18, 1996, in the oppressive heat of Monterrey, Mexico, as the Padres prepared to face the New York Mets in the finale of the first regular-season series played outside the United States and Canada.

Battling dehydration and an upset stomach, Caminiti took two liters of intravenous fluid, then hit two homers and drove in four runs in an 8-0 victory.

"Becky and I are grief stricken at the premature death of one of the bravest athletes that we have known," Padres owner John Moores said. "We admired Ken tremendously and remained optimistic that he would conquer the personal challenges that he was dealing with."

Caminiti teamed with Tony Gwynn and Greg Vaughn in the middle of the Padres' 1998 lineup, leading them to the World Series, where they were swept by the New York Yankees.

Towers and Licht both recalled the enormous ovation Caminiti received during a 2003 ceremony marking the Padres' farewell at Qualcomm Stadium. The team moved into a new ballpark this season.

Licht said he had to go to Houston to persuade Caminiti to make an appearance, and Towers remembered the former star was nervous.

"He didn't know what kind of reaction he would get," Towers said.

After being showered with cheers, Caminiti told Licht it was his greatest day in baseball.

"It's a shame for his family as much as it is for his friends," former Padres teammate Andy Ashby said. "He's got three daughters who are going to miss having Dad around. It's a shame. It's a terrible thing."