PHOENIX -- The Arizona Diamondbacks have extended the contracts of manager Kirk Gibson and general manager Kevin Towers. Golden Tate III Jersey . Contracts for both had been set to expire after the coming season. The team would not divulge the lengths of the contracts or even whether the lengths were the same for both. Team President Derrick Hall said after Mondays announcement that Gibson and Towers asked that the length of the deals be kept secret. "I dont understand why the contracts of people in management are public knowledge," Towers said. "Its between myself, Derrick, (managing general partner) Ken (Kendrick) and Gibby." Last October, the team declined to exercise options to extend both contracts, but Hall said he has felt all along that the Diamondbacks shouldnt go into the season with the two facing the last year of their deals. "Theres constant distraction and a labeling of whos on the hot seat," Hall said, "Are they feeling the pressure?" Besides, Hall said, "These are guys I have a lot of confidence in." In fact, Hall said he probably would have preferred to have the extensions in place sooner. He said that when the contracts werent extended last fall, it was with the understanding that there would be talks on a new deal for both. Gibson and Towers have had three full seasons together, and their most successful was their first. The Diamondbacks won 94 games in 2012 and took the NL West title before falling to Milwaukee in five games in the divisional playoffs. Arizona has gone 81-81 each of the past two seasons. "Im certainly very excited," Towers said, "as is Gibby. This is a place where we hope we get to spend the rest of our careers at." Gibson, a standout football player at Michigan State, played 17 seasons in the majors, 12 with the Detroit Tigers. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988, earning the NL most valuable player award. In the playoffs that season, he hit one of the most memorable home runs in World Series history. Playing virtually on one leg because of a severe knee injury, Gibson hit a game-winning, two-run home run off Oaklands Dennis Eckersley in Game 1, limping around the bases and pumping his fist in triumph. The Dodgers went on to win the series. Gibson was hired as Arizonas bench coach in 2007 and was named interim manager when A.J. Hinch was fired on July 1, 2010. Towers, former GM of the San Diego Padres, came on board as general manager in September of that year, and one of his first decisions was whether to keep Gibson as manager. He did and the team went on to have that highly successful 2010 season. But the Diamondbacks stumbled the next two seasons in the vastly improved NL West, with pitching-rich San Francisco winning in 2012 and the just-plain-rich Dodgers taking it in 2013. Towers said he wants to develop "a ball club that not only has a chance to win the NL West but hopefully go deep into the post-season." "I dont take these things lightly," he said. "There are only 30 of these jobs." He said that the jobs "arent easy" and require the confidence of the clubs top executives and ownership. Towers said that going into the final year of a contract probably would have been more of a distraction for Gibson, given the high public profile of the managers job and his duties directing a teams day-to-day operation. Pitchers and catchers report for spring training at the Diamondbacks Scottsdale facility on Thursday. They are the first team to begin spring training because of Arizonas early season-opening two-game series against the Dodgers in Australia. Towers has said the team wants to acquire a No. 1 starter, but added on Monday "theres not too many of those guys out there." "The markets not the same as it was two months ago," he said. James Ihedigbo Blue Jersey . Darvish is scheduled to make his season debut Sunday at Tampa Bay after getting through an extended bullpen session without any issues.Calvin Johnson Blue Jersey . They also designated outfielder Kenny Wilson for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. The 30-year-old Gillespie has played in 34 games with Seattle this season, recording a . ATLANTA -- John Buck had three hits, including a two-run homer in the seventh inning that gave Seattle the lead, and the Mariners rallied to beat the Atlanta Braves 7-5 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight win. The Braves led 4-0 in the first inning and 5-2 in the second before falling to the Mariners comeback. Bucks homer, his first of the season, came off Alex Wood (5-6), Atlantas third pitcher. The shot to right field drove in Dustin Ackley, who had a two-out single. The Turner Field air, normally thick with humidity, was unusually dry and that helped the teams combine for four homers in the interleague matchup. Seattle pinch-hitter Stefen Romero hit a three-run homer in the fourth that tied the game 5-all. Evan Gattis and B.J. Upton hit homers for the Braves. Dominic Leone (2-0) had four strikeouts in two perfect innings. Fernando Rodney had two strikeouts in a perfect ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances. Buck had three hits and scored three runs in only his 14th start this season. The catcher played for the Mets and Pirates in 2013 following two seasons with the Marlins and has ample experience in Atlanta -- but little of it was positive. He began the night with a .150 career batting average at Turner Field with only two homers in 60 at-bats. Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, recalled from Triple-A Tacoma before the game for his seventh start with Seattle, gave up five runs on eight hits, including two homers, in only three innings. The Bravees led 4-0 before Ramirez recorded his second out. Darius Slay Blue Jersey. Freddie Freemans single drove in Jason Heyward, who led off with a double. Gattis followed with a three-run homer, his 12th. Uptons second-inning homer to centre field gave Atlanta a 5-2 lead. Gavin Floyd, still looking for his first win in his sixth start with Atlanta, couldnt hold the lead. A two-base throwing error by third baseman Chris Johnson set up run-scoring singles by Brad Miller and James Jones in the second. Romeros three-run homer tied the game in the fourth. Floyd left the game after giving up singles to Buck and Miller in the sixth. With one out, Luis Avilan walked pinch-hitter Cole Gillespie to load the bases. Avilan pitched out of trouble by striking out Michael Saunders and ended the inning on Robinson Canos grounder to second base. Floyd gave up 10 hits and five runs, three earned, in five-plus innings. NOTES: Cano had three hits. ... The Braves are 0-5 in interleague games. ... Seattle IF Nick Franklin was optioned to Tacoma. ... Braves RHP Jordan Walden, a key setup man on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, threw in the bullpen before batting practice. Waldens next step will be a minor league rehab assignment. ... Rookie 2B Tommy La Stellas strikeout in the third inning was his first in his 17th at-bat. ... Braves LHP Mike Minor will face Mariners RHP Hisashi Iwakuma as the two-game series ends on Wednesday. ' ' '
