Glendale, AZ (My Sportsbook) - Manny Ramirez was all smiles as he met the media Thursday in Arizona, one day after finalizing terms of a two-year contract to remain with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"I'm baaaaack," Ramirez said with a smile. "I'm happy to be back."

The Dodgers and Ramirez, after four months of haggling, finally ironed out a new contract on Wednesday. It's a two-year deal worth a reported $45 million with a player option -- basically the same Los Angeles offer that was rejected by agent Scott Boras last week.

"It's better late than never," Ramirez said about the lengthy negotiations. "Everything happens for a reason. Now I'm here and going to give it all I got."

Ramirez joined the Dodgers last July in a trade deadline deal with Boston and put up incredible numbers over the final two months of the regular season, leading Los Angeles to a National League West Division title and an appearance in the League Championship Series before losing to the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies.

"We have some unfinished business," Ramirez stated in reference to last year's loss to the Phillies. "I'm here to play."

The deal will apparently pay Ramirez $25 million in 2009 and $20 million for 2010. It also reportedly includes deferred payments and an opt-out clause after the upcoming campaign.

Ramirez and Boras were reportedly seeking a four-year deal in the range of $100 million after his stellar finish to the 2008 campaign. However, those offers never materialized and the discussions with the Dodgers dragged on and on.

"I feel like I spent Thanksgiving with Scott, Christmas with Scott, New Year's with Scott, but we got this done," Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti jokingly said Thursday about his negotiations with Boras.

There was speculation that Ramirez orchestrated his exit from Boston last year in the final season of an eight-year, $160 million pact he signed in 2001. His reported antics with the Red Sox over the past eight years possibly deterred some teams from offering a long-term contract.

"What happened in Boston, that's in the past," Ramirez added. "I don't think it hurt me. I'm in a happy place and where I wanted to be."

The 36-year-old Ramirez batted .396 with 17 homers and 53 runs batted in over just 53 regular-season games with the Dodgers in 2008.

"We all know what ability he brings to the table everyday," said Dodgers manager Joe Torre on Thursday. "The fact [is] that he has such a great work ethic and he wanted to share it with the [younger players]. His presence here has changed the personality of our ballclub."

Ramirez ranks 17th on baseball's all-time home run list with 527, and is one of only eight players in baseball history with at least 12 seasons with 30 or more homers. He is also one of just nine players in history to hit at least 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons.

The 12-time All-Star is a career .314 hitter in 2,103 games with Cleveland (1993-2000), Boston (2001-2008), and the Dodgers (2008).

As part of his new contract, Ramirez will make a $1 million commitment to the Dodgers Dream Foundation that will help fund Dodgers Dreamfields.