The San Diego Padres have hired Mark McGwire as their bench coach.

McGwire called it "a great challenge" to become rookie manager Andy Green's right-hand man.

He spent the last three seasons as the hitting coach of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"As a player I pretty much went through anything a player could ever wish upon as far as success, and all the failures," he said. "You learn how to be a man through adversity and failure. The game is built on failure. I know how to bust through that. ... I'm ecstatic about this new role. It's a great challenge for me, moving up in the game."