‘Twice The Legal Limit and Still Be Hitting Fastballs 100 MPH’: Two-Time World Series Champion Scott Spiezio Recalls Running to Clubhouse Between Innings to Feed Cocaine and Beer Addicition
Former Major League Baseball player Scott Spiezio enjoyed a solid 12-year career, playing for the Oakland Athletics, Anaheim Angels, Seattle Mariners, and St. Louis Cardinals. The life of a professional athlete is demanding, and baseball has seen its share of players who relied heavily on drugs and alcohol to cope with injury, pressure, or dependency. For many, substance abuse brought an abrupt end to their playing days and left behind endless questions of what could have been.
Spiezio Recalls Troubling Story Of Scrambling For Alcohol Between Innings To Level Cocaine Use
On a recent episode of the “Foul Territory” podcast, Spiezio shocked viewers when he admitted to being a functional alcoholic throughout his career, and even marveled at his abilities to perform under such circumstances, saying he had to drink between innings just to stop the shakes.
"It was crazy that I could be twice the legal limit and still hit 100 MPH fastballs."
“If I didn’t have some type of alcohol in my system then I would shake uncontrollably,” said Spiezio who slugged .419 in his career. “So I had to have alcohol on me at all times. I hid it in water bottles. I’d put it in my bag in the dugout and in my locker. I know there were guys that knew I was struggling with and at that time it was cocaine. So one was an upper and one was a downer. So I had to have both on me to make sure I was balanced.
I remember there was one time in Houston when I didn’t have any alcohol so I was scrambling and asked the clubhouse kids if they had a beer or something and they had a 24 case of beer. I had to put it in a cooler on ice and hide it in the shower in between innings. I would have to chug beers in between innings just to stay level. So it was crazy my tolerance had raised so much that I could be twice the legal limit and still be hitting fastballs 100 mph and doing well.”
Baseball Fans React to Scott Spiezio’s Story of Being a Functional Addict During MLB Career
“I have to be three times over the legal limit to watch Mariners games past the 6th inning,” one fan said, mentioning one of Spiezio’s former MLB clubs.
“Addicts are only functioning when high,” one X user quipped
“I always thought it was more the nose candy than the drink,” another user said.
“Big deal, Darryl Strawberry was smoking crack,” one baseball fan said in defense of Spiezio’s shocking story.
“Take alot of work to maintain that level of addiction. Hats off to Spiezio getting sober and staying sober.
Some would say that Spiezio cheated the game and his team with his consumption of drugs and alcohol. Others could say that his teammates who kept his secret were enablers. Years later, Spiezio has recovered from those demons, and his story stands as one of the more fortunate cases regarding athletes and substance abuse.
Scott Spiezio Won Two World Series During 12-Year MLB Career
Spiezio, who was inducted into the Illinois Sports Hall of Fame on July 25, won two World Series as a player despite his addiction.
“Dude could hit,” said one fan, noting Spiezio’s .261 batting average with 8 RBI in the 2002 World Series win over the juggernaut San Francisco Giants.
The talented infielder played a pivotal role in bringing the Anaheim Angels their lone World Series title, hitting a memorable three-run home run in the seventh inning of Game 6. His blast sparked a dramatic comeback that propelled manager Mike Scioscia’s squad to the championship. Spiezio anchored that postseason run following one of his best regular seasons, in which he batted .285 with 12 home runs, 82 RBIs, and an .807 OPS.
In 2006, as a member of the Albert Pujols-led St. Louis Cardinals, the utility infielder provided an energetic locker room presence and clutch hitting off the bench to earn his second World Series ring.
Spiezio is not the first athlete to compete at a high level while privately fighting addiction, but he was fortunate enough to overcome it and come out on the other side. Living a sober life without regrets, Spiezio considers himself blessed — even as fans and observers inevitably wonder what his career peak might have looked like had he not relied on alcohol and drugs just to get through the day.
