By Zion Jenkins —
His 2002 World Series home run sparked his most famous comeback, but Scott Spiezio’s biggest comeback was to get sober — a recovery sparked by jaundice and a 20% chance to live.
“I went from a guy that never drank alcohol to thinking I don’t know if I can go six months without drinking to save my own life,” Spiezio says. “I just cried out to God. I said, ‘God, take away my cravings.’ And that was April 6, 2018. From that day on, I’ve had zero cravings. When I see alcohol, I get physically ill when I see it. I feel like I’m going to throw up.”
Son of MLB legend Ed Spiezio, Scott seized the nation when it was bottom of the 7th, with the Angels losing the World Series Game 6 at 0-5 runs. With a 3-2 count and two men on base, Spiezio slammed the ball out of Angel Stadium and catalyzed on the most improbable World Series championship, the first such championship for the Angels.
Suddenly everybody loved him. He interviewed on the David Letterman, Jay Leno and Carson Daly shows. His hometown named a street after him. His hard-rock band Sandfrog (he was lead singer) suddenly played before audiences of 1,500. Overnight, his ego blew up.
“People tell you how great you are and you start believing,” Scott says. “For me, ego stood for edging God out, and I started edging him out and started believing the hype and started drifting a little bit as a person.”
During spring training of the next season (he moved to the Mariners), he tripped over the pitching mound while running at full speed to catch a pop up. The accident blew out his thoracic T6 and T7 discs and was very nearly paralyzed.
“When I got hurt, I kind of started feeling sorry for myself and drifted from God, like, ‘Why I’ve done everything you wanted me to do? Why am I being punished?’ Instead of turning to him, I turned to alcohol,” Scott says. “They told me I might not play again, and I got depressed, anxious and all these things that I thought people made up.”
Originally, he avoided even Tylenol and Advil. He turned into someone who drained a gallon of vodka daily.
Scott’s stint with the Mariners was the worst of his MLB career. His father tried to confront and intervene with the downward spiral. He pushed his father away before driving off. It was so scandalous that even the cops got called.
Released from the Mariners, Scott divorced his first wife and married his second. In 2006, the St Louis Cardinals, the team his father had played for him, called him for spring training. He resurged and helped the Cardinals win a World Series in 2006.
Even though he hadn’t spoken to his dad for years, Dad showed up for the ring-giving ceremony. Scott broke down crying.
“The Cardinals brought my dad back without me knowing to give me my ring in 2007. The first time in history and only time in history that a father and son have won with the same organization,” Scott says. “They called him up and presented my ring to him and then called me up, and he presented my ring to me, and we hugged and that was the prodigal son moment that turned everything around.”
His dad was back in his life. Unfortunately, alcohol didn’t leave his life.
He drank even while playing. He was also doing cocaine.
After the 2007 season, Scott was involved in a hit-and-run, and went to rehab in Tucson, Arizona. He rejoined the team in 2008 but got released after a warrant went out for his arrest. He retired from baseball.
He had made $16.5M in baseball but he was frittering away his riches on vodka and cocaine. He divorced his second wife in 2010. He was in and out of rehabs.
Finally, he went in for a routine MRI for his back. Doctors found he had jaundice. His liver was destroyed; they gave him a 20% chance to live. The ultimatum: no more liquor for six months to qualify for a liver transplant.
He didn’t think he could comply with the doctor’s ultimatum, so he cried out to God. Miraculously, the cravings disappeared.
After four visits to the hospital, another miracle occurred. His liver somehow was restored.
“We don’t know how to explain it, but your liver is normal, and your blood work is great. We’ve never seen anything like this before,” the doctor told him. “All we can say is somebody upstairs is looking out for you.”
Today, Scott encourages addicts that they can recover. He encourages people on the verge of divorce to save their marriage. He encourages people battling suicide ideation.
“I had millions and millions of dollars. Now, I live month to month,” Scott says. “But I’m happier now than when I had seven cars and three houses and was hanging out with famous people. I have true joy now because I know how the story ends. And the biggest thrill for me is when people tell me that, ‘After talking to you, I’ve saved my marriage’ or ‘I’ve restored my faith in God’ or ‘I have 12 months sober or five years sober or 30 days sober.’
“There’s nothing like getting those texts where people are like, ‘thank you for taking the time.'”
Related content: All the Christians in the World Series, How R.A. Dickey overcame childhood trauma, Clayton Kershaw’s 3,000th strikeout. Sources: Fox News, others.
