MILWAUKEE » The Milwaukee Brewers put Ron Roenicke through multiple interviews that lasted hours upon hours in their search for a new manager. When he finally got an offer, Roenicke took 2 1/2 minutes to say yes.

The 54-year-old longtime coach was officially hired as Brewers manager yesterday, his first manager job at the major league level after 11 years with the Angels. After one final talk with Brewers owner Mark Attanasio at his home in Los Angeles on Monday night, the Brewers made their offer on Tuesday.

"Sometimes it was maybe more like an interrogation process, but really good, I really appreciate the hard work, the digging up information on me," Roenicke said. "I’ve done a lot of things to get ready for this job."

Roenicke signed a two-year contract with a club option for 2013. He takes over a team that went 77-85 last season and finished 14 games behind NL Central champion Cincinnati.

Roenicke emerged from a pool of eight candidates that included finalists in former Mets manager Bobby Valentine, former Mariners and Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin and White Sox bench coach Joey Cora.

Rangers extend manager

Manager Ron Washington has agreed to a new two-year contract with the AL champion Texas Rangers.

The deal through the 2012 season was completed yesterday, three days after the end of the Rangers’ first World Series.

Washington didn’t have a contract past the 2010 season, but team president Nolan Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels had made it clear during the season they wanted him back.

Red Sox keep Ortiz

The Boston Red Sox are exercising their $12.5 million option on designated hitter David Ortiz.

The team announced yesterday it decided to keep the slugger, who got off to slow starts the past two seasons but finished strongly both times. Ortiz has expressed a preference for a long-term deal, which has not been ruled out by the club.

Giants buy out Renteria

The champion San Francisco Giants have declined to exercise their $9.5 million option on World Series MVP Edgar Renteria, instead paying him a $500,000 buyout.

It’s no surprise because the 34-year-old Renteria is considering retirement after an injury-plagued season.