http://0rz.net/641BR 07/09/2006 8:01 PM ET Melvin, D-Backs agree to extension By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com PITTSBURGH -- The Diamondbacks have reached an agreement with manager Bob Melvin on a two-year contract extension with an option for the 2009 season, multiple baseball sources told MLB.com. Negotiations began in early June, a source said, and the two sides reached the agreement not long thereafter, but the club did not feel the timing was right to announce it with the D-Backs in the midst of a 3-20 slump. An announcement is expected to come next week, following Tuesday's All-Star Game. Melvin and club officials declined to comment. Melvin originally was signed a two-year contract with two club options in November 2004 after the club withdrew a contract offer to Wally Backman following the revelation of his legal troubles. The D-Backs got off to a great start in 2005, before slumping in midseason. They rallied in September to stay in the National League West race until the final week of the season and their 77-85 record was good for second place, five games behind the Padres. Despite that, Melvin's future in Arizona was not assured since he entered this year in the final year of his contract working for a general manager -- Josh Byrnes -- who was not with the organization when he was hired. Byrnes and Melvin, though, seemed to hit it off from the time Byrnes was hired in late October and built a solid relationship. "Josh is always prepared," Melvin said earlier this season. "He always thinks things through." Byrnes has commented in the past how impressed he was with the Spring Training camp Melvin ran and the way the manager goes about putting together his lineup on a daily basis. When asked recently if Melvin's job status was secure, Byrnes answered with an emphatic, "Absolutely." Melvin was the D-Backs bench coach in 2001 when the club won the World Series and was hired to manage the Mariners in 2003. After guiding the M's to a 93-69 record in 2003 and setting a club record for most wins by a rookie manager, the Mariners fell to 63-99 and Melvin was dismissed. --

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