The Padres signed former infielder Nick Punto to their coaching staff in January, marking Punto’s coaching debut after a 14-year career in the major leagues. A San Diego native, Punto was a career .245 hitter with a .978 fielding percentage. He played for six teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers, and won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011.

Punto spoke with the Union-Tribune about his new role, baserunning, championship traits and the story behind his nickname. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You were born in San Diego, right?

A: Sure was. Scripps Memorial, right down the road. But I went to high school in Orange County. … My parents lived here (originally). My dad was naval, and my mom was born and raised in San Diego, so that’s where they met. I was born here and then shortly after, they moved to Orange County. So I was only here for a couple years.

What does it mean to be back now?

A: Oh, so cool. I grew up coming to Jack Murphy Stadium. Sat on the third-base line and Tony Gwynn would hit his first round of balls, like 10 of them, right down towards our seats down there. I mean, we had major league balls galore. It was a super fun childhood growing up.

I’ve wondered this since I first saw you: How did you get here? Because you weren’t coaching any other major league team at the time.

A: That’s right. So yeah, they dragged me right off the couch, sitting there in Orange County (laughs). You know, I played with (Mike) Shildt. I’m guessing Shildt had some influence. I played with (Padres special assistants) A.J. Ellis and Allen Craig. So I’m sure they just were spitballing some names and, you know, I got lucky enough to be thrown in the hat.

Were you thinking about coaching at the time?

A: I was, yeah. The timing was absolutely perfect. I have three teenagers at home and they’re very self-sufficient now. Not to mention, I get to kind of live at home. It’s an hour drive. And obviously, this product right here is what I’m all about. I didn’t want to sign up for a team that didn’t have a chance to get to the postseason and beyond. So this is absolutely perfect.

Your playing career is the epitome of what this team is about. Good defense, good baserunning, on the attack. Seems like a good fit. 

A: Yes. Their identity is incredible, and Shildt does such a good job of creating that identity for the players and putting together good plans in the offseason. It was cool to be a part of that a little bit, because I signed in January, so I got to see the way A.J. Preller and Shildt work together. And this coaching staff is relentless in the pursuit of greatness. So to me, it’s just absolutely a perfect fit.

What exactly is your role on a day-to-day basis?

A: I get to kind of soak it all in. I get to help David (Macias) with the baserunning. I get to help (Tim) Leiper with the infield stuff. I do a little bit of everything. I think my (official) title is “major league coach” and it couldn’t be more fitting, because I love every aspect of this game and I just really like being a part of any of it.

You excelled in your career at baserunning, defense, the little things. Is that something you try to influence here as well?

A: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, when people say you’re really good at the little things, the defense, the baserunning, that’s just because I couldn’t hit home runs like Manny Machado and (Fernando) Tatis (laughs). … I mean, I did OK, but I took a lot of pride in my defense and baserunning, or else I wouldn’t have stayed in the major leagues for 14 years. That’s just the sad truth. So I really had to be good at all that stuff.

Do you remember who you got your first hit off of, by the way?

A: Yes, I do. He does too. Who is it?

(Padres broadcaster) Bob Scanlan. Do you trash talk him for this? 

A: No, no. No trash talk. Do you see how big he is? Absolutely not. Yeah, that was in Montreal in 2001.

I have so much respect for any length of time a player is in the big leagues, but 14 years is special and difficult to attain. Why do you think you reached that mark?

A: I think probably because I could catch the baseball pretty well, like defensively. I could play shortstop for a long time. That’s what a scout would probably tell you. But for me, I think it was my drive to be the best. My drive to win the competition, you know. And we have a ton of those (players here). That’s what’s so attractive to me about this team, is it’s just filled with winners and you can see it, you can feel it. If you’re in that clubhouse after a win, you feel the camaraderie, you feel how connected they are.

“I was pretty good at connecting groups. And, you know, Skip Schumaker and I — that’s one of my best buddies — in St. Louis, we did a good job with connecting the group. And then again in LA for a year. So I enjoy the clubhouse. And when people ask, ‘What do you miss the most?’ it’s literally, the clubhouse, the buses, the airplanes, the camaraderie, the friendships. The stuff that lasts forever.

What finally led to your decision to retire? And was that a hard decision?

A: It was very hard. I thought my body was still doing OK enough to play, but my elbow was shot. I messed my elbow up. It was just hard to get on the field without taking too many anti-inflammatories and it was messing up my stomach. So basically, injury just kind of got me to say goodbye.

How important is camaraderie to a winning team, in your opinion? And is it something that has to happen organically or do you need to push for it any way you can?

A: I think it happens organically. I think you just come with the right attitude every day. As long as you come with the right attitude, people are going to see that we’re doing things right, and then that is attractive, right? And then when that’s attractive, everything else becomes attractive as well.

You won a World Series with the Cardinals in 2011 under manager Tony La Russa. Mike Shildt was part of the organization at that time, just not in the majors. Did you interact with him?

A: Yeah, that’s where we met, 2011. I think I hurt an oblique or a hamstring and he was down in, like, the Jupiter (Fla.) area, working with the guys in the facility. So I got to know him there and he was throwing me (batting practice), hitting me ground balls. And that’s where it all started.

There are so many connections. Schumaker was your teammate on that 2011 team as well. That Cardinals team wasn’t necessarily the most talented team out there. What was the difference for you guys?

A: Yeah, you’re 100% (correct). That’s the beauty of this game. It’s not always that the most talented team wins. It’s a game based on fundamentals and execution. And you know, Tony La Russa preached it as well as anybody, and Shildt’s a product of that. So you see us, we preach fundamentals and the basics and getting the job done, getting it right. It always helps down the road. … And you know, baseball is a very streaky game. As Padres fans know last year, the way the guys played after the All-Star break, we got hot and everything was clicking.

How different is the game now versus when you came up and you were playing?

A: It’s changed a lot. And when I say it’s changed a lot, I only mean off the field. You know, the preparation, the amount of time we spend on computers studying and scouting and all that stuff. But between the lines, the game has not changed at all. It’s still just as beautiful as I remember it. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be back in a dugout and to be part of it.

Depending on who you talk to, there are players who say all the information is great, and then there are players who say it’s information overload. How do you find that balance?

A: We have a lot of unbelievable people that give us a ton of information. And then we, as former players, we dissect it a little bit and know what we can deliver and how to deliver it. Delivery is everything with players today.

You’ve been on some very successful teams. What stands out to you about this Padres team in terms of winning or championship attributes?

A: One, they’re very connected. Two, it’s the most talented group I think I’ve ever been a part of. The superstars that are here are just incredible. Every day, I see something that my mouth just opens and drops to the floor … Everywhere you look, there’s some sort of superstar, and it’s cool. This team has all the ingredients. And sure, there’s tons of teams, or a handful of teams that have the ingredients, and you’ve just got to get it all to come together.

You last played in 2014, so you’re not that far removed from taking the field. How much does that help you as a coach in terms of relatability?

A: I think that’s the fun part, being able to share my experiences. Fourteen years is a long time. I’m very blessed to have that number on the back of my baseball card and it’s fun for the guys to pick my brain here and there. It’s been an absolute joy.

Baserunning is making a comeback in today’s game. Is it just that teams have better tools to take advantage of it?

A: It is, yeah. That was kind of a lost art. You always saw it. You saw when guys were great, you know, the Larry Walkers. You saw when guys were really good at it, but there was no way to quantify it. And today we can quantify it. These guys are at this level because they’re hyper-competitive. So it’s nice to put it on paper and show the (Jake) Cronenworths, show the (Xander Bogaertses), like, ‘Hey man, look how fast your sprint time was. Look how fast you got first to third.’ So now they have something to compete against, and we just never had that. I think if we did, we would have been better base runners.

You can tell guys get pumped when they swipe a bag, especially the ones who never really used to run before.

A: They really do. And David Macias and Shildty have done such a good job with the baserunning identity. We have so much fun with it in our Ball Talk (meetings), talking about, (for example), Gavin Sheets graduating up to the next level. It’s just really good banter. It’s a very healthy, good group of kids.

When you played, your teammates nicknamed you “Shredder” because you would rip the uniform off the player of the game, correct? How did that come about?

A: Yeah, it started in 2011 and kind of took off with the World Series team. When guys would get a walk-off hit, the Shredder would meet him at home plate and just rip his jersey off. And it kind of took wind and St. Louis embraced it. I think Tony La Russa maybe even wrote about it (in his book), so it kind of stuck.

Fernando takes his jersey off on his own, so you don’t even need to rip it off him.

A: I know. If I had that body, I would too.

Great point. When you played for the Dodgers, you once did a postgame interview with Danny DeVito. What do you remember about that?

A: I did. I still blame my buddy Skip Schumaker for that. I think we got an ESPN award, like an MLB Award for ‘Best Bit of the Year.’ But yeah, Skip grabbed my jersey out of my locker, handed it to Danny DeVito and said, ‘Nick really wants you to wear this jersey.’ And it just so happened that I hit a home run that night and I pulled him out on the field to do my interview with me. It was a pretty cool moment.

This might be a tough one, but when you look back on your career, what stands out the most? Is there a certain moment or memory?

A: There’s so many memories, but we play this game for one reason and one reason only, and that’s to win the World Series. To be the last team on the field that didn’t lose a game is the reason we play this game. It’s what we signed up for. So in 2011, winning that World Series and getting to do the ticker-tape parade in St. Louis is absolutely my favorite memory.