WASHINGTON (AP) - General manager Jim Bowden was given a six-month contract extension by the Washington Nationals on Thursday, a deal that allows him to oversee offseason moves while new ownership is pending.

Bowden's old contract was set to expire Monday; the new one lasts through the end of April. The Arizona Diamondbacks had been granted permission to talk to Bowden about their general manager opening.

He was hired by the Expos-turned-Nationals last November as an interim GM, and Washington went 81-81 in his first season with the club, a 14-win improvement from the 2004 season.

``I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Jim this past season and look forward to working with him over the next several months,'' team president Tony Tavares said in a statement issued by the club.

``Jim is one of the hardest working general managers in the game, and I have every confidence that he will improve our team this offseason while continuing to build a solid foundation that will yield a perennial winning franchise worthy of the great city of Washington.''

Before joining the Nationals, Bowden was the Cincinnati Reds' general manager from 1992-03.

In other moves announced Thursday, Bob Boone was promoted to interim senior director of player development and assistant general manager, Andy Dunn became interim farm director, and Scott Little field coordinator.

Boone, a former All-Star catcher who managed the Reds in 2001-03 and the Kansas City Royals in 1994-97, was a special assistant to the general manager for the Nationals last season.

Dunn has been with the franchise for four seasons, including as vice president of ballpark operations in 2005. Little has been a minor league manager in the Dodgers and Pirates systems and was Pittsburgh's field coordinator in 1998.Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.