The Baltimore Orioles announced Wednesday that Sam Perlozzo has been named the team's manager and given a three-year contract. As per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not released. Perlozzo, who had the interim tag removed, was officially introduced at a noon press conference. He took over as the team's interim manager on August 4 after Lee Mazzilli was fired. Mazzilli was 51-56 this season, but was dismissed after his team dropped from first in the AL East to fourth place in the division. In 55 games, Perlozzo then compiled a 23-32 record, which included three straight wins to end the season. Mazzilli was named the 15th manager of the club in November of 2003 and led the team to a 129-140 record in 1 1/2 seasons. The 54-year-old Perlozzo will enter his 11th season with Baltimore, having spent his first five years as third base coach before assuming the role of bench coach in 2001. His run with the team is the second longest continuous tenure on the Baltimore staff behind Elrod Hendricks and only six coaches in team history have served longer. Perlozzo has spent 19 years as a major league coach, also serving on the staffs of the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Seattle Mariners. The move comes just one day after Baltimore announced that Jim Beattie was relieved of his duties as executive vice president of baseball operations and Mike Flanagan was handed the position.