PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Arizona Diamondbacks have moved Bob Brenly from the broadcast booth to the dugout.

Brenly, a former major league catcher turned broadcaster, was hired today as the replacement for Buck Showalter, who was fired one year after helping the Diamondbacks become the fastest expansion team to win a division title.

Terms were not disclosed, but ESPN Radio 1000 in Chicago is reporting that Brenly received a three-year, $2.7 million deal. The Diamondbacks still owe Showalter $3 million for the remainder of his deal.

"He's seen the game from a different perspective from the booth and I think with his personality it's a great blend," Diamondbacks owner Jerry Colangelo said. "He's what this team needs."

Brenly has a more easy-going personality than that of Showalter, who demonstrated an intense demeanor and a penchant for involving himself in even the most minute details, both on and off the field.

"There will be very few rules," said Brenly. "One will be maximum effort all the time. But within that framework I want them to have fun and loosen up."

The 46-year-old Brenly played nine seasons in the majors, mostly as a catcher with the San Francisco Giants, before retiring in 1989. He was an All-Star for the Giants in 1984 and batted .247 with 91 homers in 871 career games.

Brenly, who coached the Giants from 1992 to 1995, has served as a television analyst for Diamondbacks broadcasts the last three seasons and also called games for Fox Sports, including the World Series between the New York Mets and New York Yankees.

Brenly said he seriously considered becoming a manager only after Showalter was fired.

"It didn't hit me until Buck was fired," Brenly said. "It wasn't until that point that I could latch on to it and say 'that's what I wanted to do.'"

Showalter was the only manager in team history, but rumors of his dismissal began circulating even before the Diamondbacks struggled down the stretch and missed the playoffs, one year after winning 100 games and the National League West title.

Arizona acquired Curt Schilling from Philadelphia on July 26 and added him to a rotation that already included NL strikeout king and reigning Cy Young Award winner Randy Johnson. But the Diamondbacks were only 12-18 in September and finished third in the division, 12 games behind first-place San Francisco. Arizona also was nine games in back of the New York Mets in the NL wild card race.

Brenly was witness to the decline and does not anticipate any problems in taking over a veteran team and making the necessary changes.

"They know I played. They know I've been around," Brenly said.

Brenly's move from the broadcast booth to major league manager without previous experience is not unprecedented. Larry Dierker made the same move and led the Houston Astros to National League Central Division titles in each of his first three seasons on the job.

Colangelo made a similar move as owner of the NBA Suns, hiring Danny Ainge as coach after Ainge served as a broadcaster.

General manager Joe Garagiola Jr. said Brenly was chosen from a list of seven candidates. Former Philadelphia Phillies manager Terry Francona was believed to be on the list.