'They couldn't even identify Ken Caminiti out of a lineup if their lives depended on it'

Ken Caminiti's name is being dragged into the Padres-Phillies conversation.

San Diego Padres fans are definitely not fake.

Long-suffering? Sure. Shell-shocked? Maybe. You get that way when your team trades away its superstars and goes a decade without reaching the playoffs, and when your city's NFL team leaves town.

But those tough times mean Padres fans are also very focused on the team's history. And especially the glory days of the mid-1990s, during Ken Caminiti's tenure with the team that saw him win the MVP award and help the team to its second and most recent World Series appearance.

My book Playing Through the Pain: Ken Caminiti and the Steroids Confession That Changed Baseball Forever is available wherever books are sold.

With the NLCS resuming Friday in Philadelphia tied 1-1, Phillies fans are excited about their team and their chances.

Fox 29 on Friday had Barstool Philly appear in the studio. Smitty took the chance to trash Padres fans.

"They couldn't even identify Ken Caminiti out of a lineup if their lives depended on it," he said.

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Philly lunatic @SmittyBarstool calls out San Diego for having fake fans on the local news @BarstoolPhilly

That argument actually couldn't be further from the truth — and in fact, Padres fans have been enthusiastic about my book on Caminiti that was released earlier this year. I had a Padres fan show up at my book launch event in New York, and they consistently reach out to me about the team's only MVP.

Caminiti remains beloved to San Diego fans.

But at this point, if any fans don't know about Ken Caminiti, have I got a book for you ...