PHOENIX -- Aramis Ramirez made it clear to the Chicago Cubs that he wants to play for them for the rest of his life. As of now, he's locked in for four more years.

Ramirez and the Cubs agreed to terms Monday on a four-year, $42 million contract with an option for a fifth year at $11 million that would raise the total package to $53 million.

"The player made it real clear that he wants to be here and he wants to be here long term," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Monday in announcing the deal hours before the season opener. "We expressed the same interest."

The contract, which Hendry described as being "creative," includes an option that allows Ramirez to consider free agency after the 2006 season.

"That's just an option," Ramirez said. "I don't think I'm going to exercise that. I want to be a Cub for the rest of my life. That's why I signed with this team. I want to be here and I think I will."

Ramirez, 26, is coming off a successful season in which he batted .318 with 36 homers and 103 RBIs. He was eligible for free agency after this season.

The deal will pay him $8 million in 2005 with a $1 million signing bonus that will be pro-rated. He will receive $10.5 million in 2006, $11 million in 2007, and $11.5 million in 2008. The option for 2009 is for $11 million.

Hendry and Ramirez's representatives met four to five times a day in Las Vegas on Friday and Saturday, and again in Phoenix on Sunday before finalizing the deal early Monday. The option to file for free agency after the 2006 season was added Sunday night.

"There's a level of fairness here," Hendry said. "We felt it was a very solid deal for the club compared to the risk of him being on the open market in the fall."

Ramirez had set a soft deadline in that he wanted the negotiations to end by Opening Day.

"It's a good feeling knowing I'm going to be here for four more years and we can get this over with and just play baseball," Ramirez said.

Hendry acquired Ramirez in July 2003 from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the third baseman blossomed last season. There's a lot of upside.

"He's at the age where most people 26 to 31 or 32 really elevate themselves into bigger and better things," Hendry said. "This guy is one of the best right-handed hitters in baseball right now. He's a tremendous breaking-ball hitter, which is extremely hard to find. He's proven to have a very low strikeout rate, the ability to knock in runs, even if it's not by a base hit. He's a vastly improved defender. To be honest, he's a far superior player than what we expected when we made the trade."

Aramis Ramirez  /   3B
		Born: 06/25/78 Height: 6'1" Weight: 215 lbs Bats: R / Throws: R More info: Player page Stats | Splits Gallery Team Site | Shop

Cubs manager Dusty Baker talked to Ramirez on Sunday about the pending negotiations.

"He expressed how much he wanted to stay and liked playing for the Cubs and liked playing in Chicago," Baker said Monday. "You like to hear that. In our mind, he's going to get better and better and better."

When Ramirez arrived in Chicago, he had what Baker said was not a bad reputation, but not a great one either.

"He just wants to win," Baker said. "He's grown as a player. We're glad to have him, big time."

Part of the problem, Ramirez said, was his youth.

"I made a lot of mistakes. I was young," he said. "I came to the league when I was 19 years old. You mature as a player and a person, and I think I've done that."

He admits to taking his bad at-bats to the field with him. Not any more. This season, Ramirez will bat fourth for the Cubs and be the key run producer.

"He's got the right manager, the right ballpark, the right city, the right team," Hendry said. "With some of the deals that went down in the offseason, he certainly would've had the right to command a very high ticket at the end of the year if he had another solid year."

"I like the city and I like the team and feel we have a good chance to win," Ramirez said.