Ramirez helped Los Angeles win the division by hitting .396 with 17 homers and 53 RBIs in 53 regular-season games. In the playoffs, he batted .520 with four homers, 10 RBIs, nine runs and 11 walks in eight games.

“We all wanted the same thing and that’s what was apparent to me,” said Torre, who left spring training in Arizona with Colletti to travel to Malibu.

“After last year and the time he spent with us, we knew we wanted him back. It was just a matter of finding that common ground,” Torre said.

Los Angeles announced last week that Ramirez declined its latest offer, a $25 million, one-year contract with a $20 million player option for 2010. That deal would have included deferred payments of $10 million each in 2011 and 2012 and $5 million in 2013.

Boras countered with a proposal that included no deferred money, leaving the sides about $3 million apart in present-day value.

At the time the Dodgers acquired him from Boston, Ramirez’s contract was amended to eliminate the $20 million team options it included for 2009 and 2010. The new agreement leaves him with a small increase but likely fell short of what Ramirez hoped to gain on the free-agent market.

Colletti initially tried to re-sign Ramirez, offering a two-year, $45 million deal with a buyout or a club option that was ignored by Boras and later withdrawn by the team.

The Dodgers’ second attempt involved salary arbitration in December, but Ramirez said no to that, too.

Ramirez was MVP of the 2004 World Series — Boston’s first championship since 1918 — and helped the Red Sox to another title in 2007. But he often failed to run hard to first base on grounders and repeatedly said he didn’t want to play for Boston, which lured him from Cleveland after the 2000 season with a $160 million, eight-year contract.

But it was a different story after Ramirez arrived in what quickly became known as Mannywood.

Besides his hitting, he made a huge impact on the Dodgers’ bottom line, with a big boost in attendance and souvenir sales, including No. 99 jerseys and fake dreadlocks.

Ramirez’s teammates in Phoenix were eager to welcome him back.

“A guy like Manny, you learn a lot of stuff from him,” shortstop Rafael Furcal said. “He’s the best hitter in the game. Everyone is happy.”

More on Manny Ramirez  |  Los Angeles Dodgers

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