PHOENIX -- Bob Brenly, a broadcaster and former major league catcher, was hired Monday as manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks and said the team has enough talent to be in the World Series next season.

Brenly, 46, signed a three-year contract worth $2 million, with a fourth year at the club's option.

		Mon, Oct. 30 Bob Brenly was the odds-on favorite to replace Buck Showalter if he were to get fired, so this hire doesn't come as much of a surprise. As the Diamondbacks broadcaster, Brenly is certainly familiar with the organization and the players. I have a lot of respect for Showalter, but what worked for him in 1999 didn't work in 2000. Showalter is a hands-on, all-encompassing, detail-oriented type of manager. Generally, when someone like that loses his job, an organization goes in a completely different direction, which is what the D-Backs have done with Brenly. Brenly is a departure from Showalter because he's more of a loosey-goosey, fun-loving type of guy who is known as a solid baseball man. If they wanted to go in the opposite direction of Showalter, Brenly fits the bill. I spoke with Showalter at the World Series, and he said he wasn't quite sure how to handle his situation right now, because he's always had a job. There are still clubs looking at him for their skipper's job, but if that doesn't pan out, an organization could do with Showalter what the Cardinals did with Jim Leyland -- take him on as a special assignment-type of scout. Brenly will sit down with Jerry Colangelo and the rest of the Arizona braintrust and give his assessment on what went wrong for the Diamondbacks last year. They weren't a horrible team by any stretch. They had the best record in baseball at the beginning of the season (26-10), but the Matt Williams injury critically hurt them. Then Omar Daal went from 16 wins in '99 to three wins in 2000, and then the Todd Stottlemyre injury. When you lose three key ingredients -- and you're an expansion team, so your farm system hasn't had time to develop -- things can turn ugly quick. Brenly will have a good take on these problems.

"I was in New York last week and I looked at those two teams and went position-by-position," Brenly said. "There's no reason why the Diamondbacks couldn't be there next year or maybe why they shouldn't be there this year. I think the team is that good."

Owner Jerry Colangelo, who introduced Brenly at a news conference in the Diamondbacks' clubhouse, said he likes his new manager's work ethic, attitude and philosophy.

"He's the first one to say that he doesn't have all the answers," Colangelo said, "and I find that refreshing. There needs to be a little more fun in this room. That's something we were missing last season."

Brenly, TV analyst for the Diamondbacks and the Fox network, replaces Buck Showalter, who was fired the day after the season ended. The Diamondbacks interviewed seven candidates, then narrowed the list to Brenly and former Philadelphia Phillies manager Terry Francona.

Brenly was offered the job in a 2 a.m. meeting with Colangelo in a New York hotel restaurant last Thursday.

Brenly, who said he planned to surround himself with an experienced coaching staff, took a first step in that direction Wednesday by hiring Chris Speier to be his third-base coach. Speier, a minor league manager in the Diamondbacks' system for four seasons, was the first coach hired by Brenly. They are former teammates.

Speier was the Milwaukee Brewers' third-base coach last season.

"As a player, a coach and a manager, Chris brings us a wealth of experience and knowledge," Diamondbacks general manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said. "In addition, he is very familiar with the players who have come through our farm system."

Speier played shortstop for 19 seasons in the majors. He was a teammate of Brenly on the San Francisco Giants from 1987-89.

"I think you just have to let them play," he said. "We're very blessed to have a veteran team here, a lot of guys who have been through postseason play before, a lot of guys who have achieved a lot of personal success in their own careers."

Brenly said the veteran makeup of the team will dictate his approach. He said those players now have only one goal left.

"We have a lot of guys in this room who have a burning desire to play in the World Series," Brenly said. "I guess the best thing I can do is not get in their way."

Brenly caught for nine major-league seasons, mostly with the San Francisco Giants, and appeared in one All-Star Game. He teamed with Thom Brennaman on Diamondbacks telecasts during the franchise's first three years.

Brenly spent a year in broadcasting in Chicago after retiring as a player, then was a coach for four seasons with the Giants before returning to broadcasting.

"When you are around the game in as many different capacities as I have been, I think you end up with a pretty good grasp of the big picture," Brenly said.

He indicated he will be far less strict than Showalter, who was known for myriad rules.

	Diamondbacks president Rich Dozer, left, holds up jersey No. 15 for new manager Bob Brenly.

"I anticipate having very few rules," Brenly said. "The only thing that ever really makes me mad enough to lose my cool is if somebody isn't giving a full effort."

Brenly acknowledged that there were some Arizona players who had a rocky relationship with him in his role as a television analyst. Winning over those players will be an early goal.

"I'll make it very clear early on, probably in my conversations with the players that I call this afternoon, that we were all on the same team last year," Brenly said, "but now if there's any doubt in your mind, I'll be wearing the same uniform you are."

He will have far less authority than Showalter, who had a say in most aspects of the franchise, including personnel decisions.

In 1999, Showalter managed the team to 100 victories and the NL West title in just its second season after the Diamondbacks invested greatly in free agents, including Randy Johnson.

But this year, the team faded to an 88-77 record and a third-place finish in the division, despite the midseason acquisition of Curt Schilling to bolster the pitching staff.

"I think Bob will do a terrific job," said second baseman Jay Bell, who attended the news conference. "Certainly his comments today were very, very good. That's exactly what you love to hear. You love to hear that we're going to have the chance to go out and play and be able to take things upon ourselves to prepare for a game.

"But at the same time, there is a leash that needs to be there. Bob said this is his team, and things are going to go his way."

In addition to Brenly and Francona, the Diamondbacks interviewed New York Yankees batting coach Chris Chambliss, Showalter's bench coach Carlos Tosca, Colorado Rockies hitting coach Clint Hurdle, Triple-A Tucson manager Tom Spencer and Arizona minor league instructor Ron Hassey.