OAKLAND, Calif. -- Finally, Ken Macha is a major league manager.

After interviewing for years, Macha didn't have to leave the Oakland Athletics to get promoted. He will move from bench coach to manager.

ESPN.com analysis

We've been hearing about Ken Macha as an oustanding managerial candidate for more than a year. What we haven't heard much about is why Macha has been so popular. Essentially, it comes down to leadership and communication. Macha talks to his players all the time, so when he's got something negative to say to a player, there's already an established level of trust. As Billy Beane told me, "He's been very pro-active as a coach: hands-on, constantly communicating." What's more, Macha is bright -- he earned a degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh -- and as Beane says, "I like bright people. And people who are academic are decisive. When you're academic you're probably going to be more objective, and if you're objective you can be decisive." Macha's been around for a while, and knowing when to change pitchers and send up a pinch-hitter shouldn't be particularly difficult for him. The trick will be getting his players to go with the program, and if Macha does that as well as Art Howe did -- and as well as everybody seems to think he will -- then he'll be a fine manager. -- Rob Neyer

Macha told The Associated Press on Monday night that he had agreed to a multiyear deal to replace Art Howe as A's manager. Howe officially took over the New York Mets on Monday.

''It might end all that interviewing, but it's the beginning of your career,'' Macha said in a telephone interview from his home in Pittsburgh. ''This is only the beginning, I hope. I'm just thinking about all the players. I'm ready for spring training right now, to be truthful.''

Macha interviewed with the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs earlier this month. He was Pittsburgh's second choice after Lloyd McClendon two years ago, and had also interviewed with Cincinnati, Toronto and twice with Anaheim.

It came down to familiarity.

''I have knowledge of the players, knowledge of the system, knowledge of the front office, the whole thing,'' he said of the A's.

Oakland general manager Billy Beane stopped short of confirming Macha's appointment Monday, but left almost no doubt about his intentions. The A's planned an afternoon news conference Tuesday to introduce its new manager.

''I would say that continuity, given what we have available to us, will be very important,'' Beane said. ''I think it would be somewhat foolish not to try and continue on that path.''

Beane said that most of the A's highly regarded coaching staff will return next spring, including pitching coach Rick Peterson. Beane interviewed five coaches from the current staff for the opening after Howe informally reached an agreement with the Mets several days ago.

Macha also said he would like to keep the staff intact.

''I will meet with Billy, and I'd like to talk with everybody on the staff,'' he said. ''We all know each other and want to make sure we're on the same page.''

Macha had the inside track in Oakland from the moment Howe, the third-winningest manager in franchise history, left for the Mets for a $9.4 million, four-year deal that the small-budget A's couldn't hope to match. Several days after he reached an agreement with the Mets, Howe was introduced Monday.

Instead of landing in Milwaukee, which reportedly offered a job to Macha, or with the Cubs, he will take over the talented young team that beat out World Series champion Anaheim for the AL West title with 103 wins, but lost its third straight division series.

The A's didn't seek compensation from the Mets for allowing Howe to leave with one year left on his contract -- but Beane didn't want the rest of his staff leaving as well.

''We value our coaching staff, and we value the continuity we have in that staff returning,'' Beane said. ''It's one thing to give permission for one (to leave), but that's when you don't let the floodgates open.''

Again, Beane decried the media's characterization of his relationship with Howe. The two were often thought to be at odds over everything from the A's loose clubhouse to Beane's personnel decisions, but Beane praised Howe's managerial skills and personality.

''I know he'll be missed, and I know the players will miss him,'' Beane said. ''You probably won't know just how much we'll miss him until way down the road. I consider Art a friend, and an important part of this organization.''

Beane also said that letting Howe leave was easier because he had a worthy successor in Macha, who played 180 games in the majors over six seasons with Pittsburgh, Montreal and Toronto, mostly as a catcher and a third baseman.

Macha spent four years as a manager in the Boston organization before joining the A's as a bench coach before the 1999 season. He was the Eastern League manager of the year in 1996 with Double-A Trenton, and led Triple-A Pawtucket to two winning seasons.

Macha credits two former A's managers for mentoring him: Dick Williams and Chuck Tanner.

''Both those guys participated in World Series,'' Macha said.