Oakland, CA — Oakland Athletics manager Ken Macha is out of a job today after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract.

General manager Billy Beane says the club decided it was best to part ways with Macha. Macha led the A´s to the AL West title in his first year as skipper in 2003, for the club´s fourth straight playoff berth.

Oakland failed to advance the past two seasons, despite a 91-win season in 2004 and 88 victories this year.

Beane met Monday with the 55-year-old Macha, who was still in the Bay Area today and had to return home to Pittsburgh for the offseason. Beane says there were no hard feelings. Macha couldn´t be immediately reached for comment.