Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire, who led the Twins to the AL Central Division title this season, agreed to a two-year extension Friday that will keep him under contract through 2009.
He was already under contract for the 2007 season, which was part of a two-year extension he signed in January 2005.
``Ron and his staff have done a tremendous job, not only in 2006, but over the last several years,'' Twins general manager Terry Ryan said in a statement.
Gardenhire has led the team to the division title four times in his first five years. The 48-year-old Gardenhire has a career record of 455-354 and is the first manager in club history to have five consecutive winning seasons.
The Twins were swept by the Oakland Athletics in the first round of the playoffs this year.
The team also announced they signed several other coaches to contracts through the 2008 season, including: pitching coach Rick Anderson, bench coach Steve Liddle, bullpen coach Rick Stelmaszek, third base coach Scott Ullger, hitting coach Joe Vavra and first base coach Jerry White.
© The Canadian Press, 2007
