MLB

• Twins sign Gardenhire to extension

  
  

  Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him with the club through the 2011 season.

  Gardenhire will begin his eighth season as Twins skipper in 2009.

  He has guided the club to a record of 622-512, including 88-75 in 2008. Last year's team nearly reached the postseason, losing a one-game playoff to the Chicago White Sox for the American League Central crown.

  The Twins also signed Gardenhire's coaching staff to two-year contracts through the 2010 campaign -- the first year of Minnesota's new ballpark.

  "Ron and his staff have done an outstanding job over the last seven years, and none was better than the 2008 season," said Twins general manager Bill Smith. "We had a lot of new players and a lot of young players, and our major league staff did a marvelous job with a changing cast of players. Continuity has been a great strength of the Twins organization for two decades. The current staff has played an important role in the design and development of the Target Field facilities, and these agreements will carry the staff into the new ballpark in 2010." The 51-year-old Gardenhire, who was runner-up to Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon in the AL Manager of the Year voting, took over as Twins skipper before the 2002 season.

  He has led the team to four AL Central titles in his first seven years, posting winning records in six of those seven campaigns.

  Only Tom Kelly, with 1,140 victories, has more wins than Gardenhire with the Twins.

  11/13 11:03:54 ET