league player Keith Volkman to the San Diego Padres. Nevin made a late-career break with the Padres, appearing in 100 games for the first time during the 1999 season. He then had the best offensive years of his career: he hit 31 home runs with a .916 on-base plus slugging (OPS) during the 2000 season. He was named to the National League All-Star team in , when he hit 41 home runs with 126 RBIs and had a .976 OPS. He also led major-league third basemen in errors, however, with 27, and had the lowest fielding percentage of all major league third basemen (.930). Injuries and final seasons (2002–2006) In 2002 Nevin played first base, which was considered his strongest defensive position. But injuries shortened his 2002 and 2003 seasons. In 2002, he missed time with a strained left elbow. Three games after returning from the elbow injury, he broke his arm diving for a ground ball, causing him to miss another six weeks. After being heckled by a fan during a September 2002 game, Nevin gave the fan the finger, for which he apologized. Nevin suffered a dislocated shoulder in spring training in 2003 while making a diving catch. He had surgery on his left shoulder and returned to the Padres in June. The Padres acquired Rondell White to replace Nevin, and White went on to have an All-Star season in left field. Ryan Klesko filled in at first base and rookie Sean Burroughs played well at third base, Nevin's favorite position. Nevin offered to be used in a utility role, alternating with White, Klesko, and Burroughs, as well as Xavier Nady in right field. In 2004, Nevin had more than 100 RBIs for the third time in his career, but underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee in July. Nevin was often frustrated with the dimensions of Petco Park. He hit a double during a 2004 game that he believed would have been a home run in other stadiums; when he reached second base, he pointed toward Padres' general manager Kevin Towers' suite and threw down his helmet, resulting in a postgame argument. At the time, Petco Park had dimensions of 403 feet for left-center and 411 for right center (each would be shifted by at least ten feet eight years later). Towers said the two had a "love-hate" relationship. Two nights after San