OAKLAND, Calif. — Bob Geren began the communication process from the moment he became Oakland's new manager, dialing every player on his roster to let him know there are no major changes in store for the defending AL West champions.

Yet one key difference apparently will be the strong communication lines, something several Athletics players said after the season was a problem at times under fired manager Ken Macha.

Oakland gave Geren a two-year contract Friday, promoting the former major league catcher to his first managerial job in the majors after extensive experience managing in the minor leagues and winter ball.

"I'm just thrilled to death to do it," Geren said when introduced at the Coliseum. "The last 24 hours have been one of the most exciting days of my baseball life for sure."

The A's monthlong search for a manager spanned from Japan to New York — then ended where it started with Geren, the man who sat alongside Macha all season and someone general manager Billy Beane has long considered ready for the top job.

Geren filled the final managerial vacancy in the major leagues this offseason when he was hired Thursday, exactly one month after the A's dismissed Macha.

Geren spoke to nearly all of his players and left messages for the two he didn't reach.

"I think I set a cell phone record yesterday," Geren said. "The players seemed genuinely excited about it. I let them know we're not going to do a whole lot of things on the day-to-day basis differently. When you win 93 games, you prepared and went out and did your business the right way."

Geren had the only managerial experience at any level of the three finalists, a list that also included Colorado bench coach Jamie Quirk and ESPN baseball analyst and former Texas Rangers pitching coach Orel Hershiser. Geren was the first to interview for the job on Oct. 30.