Nevin is a breath of fresh air

It’s nice to hear the voice of Phil Nevin on XX Sports Radio these days.
Nevin started last Friday on the Padres pre-game radio show, and he certainly is a breath of fresh air.
He’s not one of those former ballplayers who are going to make excuses for what happens on the field. He tells it like it is, which is what listeners want to hear after all.
Nevin was the first Padre to speak his mind when Petco Park opened in 2004 concerning how difficult of a hitter’s park the new facility is. He took the rap from management for being the first guy to say something that is commonly repeated these days about how low-scoring games and long fly outs (that would be home runs in most ballparks) are the norm at Petco Park.
It was interesting a couple years ago when Nevin became so frustrated by Petco Park’s vast dimensions that he let it be known by directing his anger toward General Manager Kevin Towers in the press box during an August game against Pittsburgh. As the story is told, Towers took then Padre announcer Rick Sutcliffe to the clubhouse with him after the game to act as a buffer and keep Towers from going overboard after Nevin.
The sad part for Nevin is that he has certainly burned bridges with the Padres. The team desperately needs another right-handed bat, and Nevin is capable of filling the role.
But because Nevin was the first to speak out against Petco Park, he will always be held liable for what plenty of others are saying nowadays.