PEORIA, Ariz. — When the Colorado Rockies fired longtime manager Bud Black in May, the San Diego resident could’ve opted to wind down a professional baseball career he began in 1979 as a Seattle Mariners draftee out of San Diego State.

Not going to happen, I thought.

As Padres manager, Black never seemed to wear down over eight-plus seasons. He likes the absurdity of 162 games in six months. I can’t confirm he smells like pine tar, but Black’s a certifiable baseball lifer, a true seamhead.

Seeing Black as a candidate to fill several roles for the Padres this year, A.J. Preller had a few breakfasts with him this winter to get a feel for the fit, then hired him last month as a special assistant.

Never mind that Black, 68, was fired as Padres manager when Preller was starting out as a general manager.

Preller appreciated that Black worked well with others while applying the know-how he built up as a pitcher in 15 big league seasons, a major league pitching coach for seven years, a scout for two years and thousands of big league games he managed across 18 years.

“I’ve always had a lot of respect for Buddy,” Preller said this week. “I’ve seen him do a lot of good things in baseball – with Cleveland, with San Diego, with Anaheim and across the way with Colorado.

“He has a really good baseball mind. He loves San Diego, he loves the Padres. We’ve always maintained a good relationship. And I know he wants to give back. He wants to give back to the team in his hometown.”

Black said his Padres duties come down to this: “Watch baseball and talk baseball.”

He’s scouting Padres minor leaguers in spring training and will track them further in San Antonio, Texas; Fort Wayne, Ind.; and Lake Elsinore. Leading up to the summer draft, he’ll also scout amateur players as directed by Chris Kemp.

Black will also serve as a sounding board to the organization’s managers and coaches.

His colleagues include former longtime Mariners manager Scott Servais, a well-regarded special assistant in player development and baseball operations. Farm director Ryley Westman will match Black and Servais with staff in the minors.

Craig Stammen, who begins his first year as a manager (or coach) at any level, said the tandem of Black and Servais has provided him “super” support.

“Absolutely super,” Stammen added.

“Buddy’s gotten after it right out of the gate, which I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Preller said. “It’s every day. He’s jumped into it full throttle, which is cool to see.”

Black pitched often for the 1985 Kansas City Royals team that won the franchise’s first World Series trophy.

When the Anaheim Angels claimed their only World Series title in 2002, he served as their pitching coach.

Black said he’s eager to help the Padres win their first trophy, no matter how far down the margins he works.

“I love baseball — love it — and I love the competition,” he said. “To be a piece of that puzzle when it all comes together, I like that. The team is sort of like a puzzle. You put it together. I like that feeling.”

Although Black said nothing beats playing in the big leagues, he described his Angels experiences as magical.

“When we won one in Anaheim, to see others enjoy it, it’s a great feeling,” he said. “It’s the best.”

Said by one former colleague to have the knack of “making everybody he meets feel good,” Black said he’s renewed by another incoming baseball season.

“You know what I like the most about it? I like the calendar,” he said. “I like the everyday process and journey to try to get to the World Series.

“A lot of us who do this, we have an internal clock that, it’s really hard to shut off.”

At age 68 and grateful for another spring training, it’s not Black’s time to unplug.

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