NEW YORK -- As Phil Nevin prepares to serve as the Yankees' third-base coach in 2018, there have been frequent conference calls with manager Aaron Boone and the other members of the staff. Their mission, as Boone has outlined, is to hit the ground running on Day 1 of Spring Training.
"We've got a good group of guys," Nevin said. "We're energetic, really excited about getting going. The conversations we've all had as a group, we're all excited about it. We're all going to work well together. I think that'll feed down into the players and create excitement amongst them as well."
Nevin, who appeared Friday on MLB Network, was one of Boone's first selections to the staff. Josh Bard has been named as the bench coach, Reggie Willits will serve as the first-base coach and Carlos Mendoza is on board as an infield coach who will be in uniform during games.
Pitching coach Larry Rothschild is returning from the previous regime. Hitting coach Marcus Thames and bullpen coach Mike Harkey are also expected to be brought back, though those appointments have not yet been announced.
Nevin, 46, spent last season as the Giants' third-base coach after managing at Triple-A Reno from 2014-16. He said that he enjoys the challenge of making decisions quickly and having a hand in the game while communicating with the manager and the players.
"You've got to have thick skin out here," Nevin said. "You can't listen to the people behind you, because they're never going to be happy. Whenever you hold up a runner, whether it was the right move or maybe the wrong move, they're going to boo you.
"When you send a runner and he gets thrown out, they're going to boo you. When you send a runner and he's safe, they're never complimenting you. You were supposed to do it. But I love it. I want that pressure on me. Hopefully it's just a lot more high-fives this year than having to make tough decisions."
A 2001 NL All-Star infielder, Nevin played 12 seasons in the Majors with the Astros, Tigers, Angels, Padres, Rangers, Cubs and Twins. He and Boone's older brother, Bret, both attended El Dorado High School in Placentia, Calif., and Nevin said that he was "honored" to be offered a spot on the Yankees' coaching staff.
"Aaron and I go back a little bit," Nevin said. "I kind of grew up in the Boone house. When I went behind the plate to catch for a couple of years, [Boone's father] Bob was the first guy I went to. The Boone family has always been special to me. We've always been close. To be able to get a chance to work with Aaron and be part of this is something special."