Toronto, Gibbons agree to contract extension

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The Toronto Blue Jays and manager John Gibbons have agreed to a one-year contract extension.

Money Managers
John Gibbons, right, reportedly will get a one-year extension and a $150,000 salary bump for 2008, but the increase still would leave him among the bottom-third among manager salaries. The highest paid for this season:
	Team	Salary
1. Joe Torre	Yankees	$7.5M
2. Lou Piniella	Cubs	$3.5M
3. Bobby Cox	Braves	$3M
4. Tony La Russa	Cardinals	$2.8M
T5. Mike Scioscia	Angels	$2M
T5. Jim Leyland	Tigers	$2.5M
T26. Gibbons	Blue Jays	$500K
Source: Sports Business Daily

The deal extends Gibbons' current contract through the 2008 season and will pay him $650,000.

Gibbons might have cost himself a longer extension after getting into altercations with infielder Shea Hillenbrand and pitcher Ted Lilly last season.

The Blue Jays skipper's current deal will pay him $500,000 this season.

Gibbons has been at the helm of the Blue Jays since replacing Carlos Tosca as the interim manager in the middle of the 2004 season.

The Blue Jays (87-75) finished second in the AL East for the first time since their world championship season in 1993. Overall, Gibbons is 187-187 with the Blue Jays.

General manager J.P Ricciardi, who played in the minor leagues with Gibbons, gave him a one-year contract at the end of the 2004 season and a two-year extension in April, 2005.

Gibbons, a former catcher who had 50 career at-bats in 18 games with the New York Mets in 1984, '86 and '87, spent seven seasons as a minor league manager with the Mets, working his way up to Triple-A Norfolk. He compiled a 482-420 record in the minors, then joined Toronto as its bullpen catcher in 2002.

Ace Roy Halladay and center fielder Vernon Wells have endorsed Gibbons publicly.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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