“When the Padres hired Buddy Black almost three years ago, we believed he was the right person to lead our baseball team on the field,” said Towers. “Buddy has proven to be a smart baseball man and mature leader and it’s important for us to have some continuity with our leadership on the field. Buddy is a class act and he’s the right person to lead us back to contending for a National League West Division title."

Black, 52, made his managerial debut with the Padres in 2007. In parts of three seasons with San Diego, he has led the club to a 196-238 (.452) record, including an 89-74 mark in 2007. The 89 wins were the most for San Diego since the club won a franchise-record 98 contests in 1998.

"I believe the key to sustained success is having the right individuals in leadership positions,” said Padres Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer Jeff Moorad. “Buddy is a great example of this and I have a tremendous amount of faith that he will continue to be a strong asset in the development of our club."

"I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to continue working towards our goal of bringing a championship to San Diego,” said Black. “The leadership of this organization wants to win and knows how to build a team that can compete year in and year out. We have a great core of young players to build around and there is a lot to be excited about with this club.”

Named the 16th manager in franchise history on November 9, 2006, Black joined the Padres after seven seasons as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitching coach (2000-06). He previously spent four years in the Cleveland Indians organization, holding the position of Special Assistant to General Manager John Hart for three years (1996-97, 1999) and pitching coach for Cleveland’s Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo for the 1998 season.

A left-handed pitcher, Black pitched 17 years professionally, including 15 seasons in the Majors with the Seattle Mariners (1981), Kansas City Royals (1982-88), Cleveland Indians (1988-90, 1995), Toronto Blue Jays (1990) and San Francisco Giants (1991-94). In 398 Major League games (296 starts), he compiled a 121-116 record with 32 complete games, 12 shutouts, 11 saves and a 3.84 ERA (876 ER/2053.1 IP). Black, who played in two American League Championship Series with Kansas City in 1984-85 and was a member of the Royals 1985 World Series Champion team, is only the third individual over the last 40 years to have a playing career in which he won at least 100 games as a pitcher and served as a club’s manager. Bob Lemon, who last managed with the Yankees in 1982, won 207 games during his playing career, while Larry Dierker won 139 games before managing the Houston Astros from 1997-2001 (Elias Sports Bureau).

Originally signed by the Mariners as a 17th-round pick in the 1979 June Free Agent Draft, Black played two seasons (1978-79) of college ball at San Diego State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1979.