Milwaukee manager gets 1-year extension

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- The Milwaukee Brewers Friday exercised their signing option to extend the contract of Manager Ned Yost for the 2009 season.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said general manager Doug Melvin made the announcement during a luncheon interview to talk about the 2008 season.

"We picked it up after last season," Melvin told the newspaper.

Yost is the franchise's 14th manager and will enter his sixth season at the helm this spring.

He has held the job since he replaced the fired Jerry Royster in October of 2002 and his overall record is 373-435.

In 2007, Milwaukee finished second in the NL Central Division with a record of 83-79, just two games back of the division winning Chicago Cubs.

It was the first time since 1992 that Milwaukee finished a season with a winning record.