Could Phil Nevin Be a Candidate for Padres Hitting Coach Job?
According to reports on Tuesday, Phil Nevin lost out on the Phillies managerial job.
He also was let go by the San Francisco Giants organization. In 2017, he served as the third base coach for the Giants. He was previously the manager of the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A team, the Reno Aces. He even guided the Aces to a Pacific Coast League Championship Series berth. He also interviewed for the Houston Astros manager job after the 2015 season.
Nevin has been very involved since his playing days concluded after the 2006 season. He played in the big leagues for 12 seasons, including seven with the San Diego Padres.
Is it time to think of Phil Nevin as a possible replacement as hitting coach? Fans may be more receptive to Nevin in the Padres’ clubhouse rather than the previously suggested Barry Bonds, who is also an intriguing candidate.
In Nevin’s seven years with the Friars, he was one of the best hitters- not only on the club, but in the league. Only Greg Vaughn hit more home runs in one season as a Padre than Nevin did in 2001, when he smacked 41 dingers. He wasn’t a one-trick pony that year either, as he also hit .306 with 126 RBI and a .976 OPS. He also made the MLB All-Star team that season.
He played with the Padres until he was traded at the deadline in 2005 to the Texas Rangers for Chan Ho Park. He finished his Padres career with 156 home runs, which currently sits at third on San Diego’s all-time list.
The Padres have gone through many hitting coaches. Alan Zinter is the most recent victim of the black hole. The new hitting coach will be the fourth under manager Andy Green, who will be heading into his third season as the Friars’ skipper next spring.
The Padres have been consistently horrible at hitting. In fact, the Friars have finished dead last in team batting every year since 2014. Playing musical hitting coaches over that span sure hasn’t helped, as the music hasn’t stopped.
Phil Nevin should at least be in the running. He has minor league managerial experience and seems to be well-respected around the league. Plus, he was one of the best power hitters the Padres have ever had. It sure would be fun to have him and one of the best power hitters of all-time, Mark McGwire, in the same dugout. These young hitters the Padres have would really benefit from a name they perhaps heard of growing up. It would be easier for them to look up to someone who they know was an accomplished San Diego Padre.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.
Phil b!tched way too much about Petco’s dimensions. Even though the walls have come in, the park still isn’t a hitters haven, so I would hate to hear what he would be telling the young guys coming up over the next few years. If it were my choice, I would pass on Nevin.
I’m not receptive to Nevin being the hitting coach for the San Diego Padres. He always complained about Petco Park. How is he going to help our players hit at Petco? Ken Griffey Jr. would of been a San Diego Padre if it wasn’t for Nevin exercising his no trade clause. Reach out to Jr. not Nevin.