SAN DIEGO -- You cannot say that Manny Ramirez beat the system, because the
system nabbed him and punished him. But you also cannot say that he was beaten
by the system, because he is back at his post, getting what sounds like the last
laugh and the big applause.

Fans react to return

Friday night, Ramirez returned from his 50-game suspension. This did not seem to
be a man who had been caught cheating coming back in disgrace. No, this was more
like a conquering hero returning to a ticker-tape parade.

Think of Charles Lindbergh's return after he became the first man to fly solo
across the Atlantic. Think of Neil Armstrong's return after he became the first
man to walk on the moon. This was Manny Ramirez's return after he became one
more baseball player caught using performance-enhancing drugs.

His suspension at an end, Ramirez was back on the field for the Los Angeles
Dodgers on Friday night at PETCO Park. Was all forgiven? Not by Padres fans. But
among Dodgers fans, you bet.

Think this time of a Biblical comeback, the return of the prodigal son being
celebrated with the slaying of the fatted calf. There's a line here about the
fatted calf being on steroids, but we're not going to dwell on it.

PETCO Park was full Friday night, with 42,217 on hand. And yet, the home team,
the Padres, have an average attendance of fewer than 24,000 this season, with
only two previous sellouts. Dodgers fans filled the place for this one, and they
roared for the man who had carried their team to the postseason last year.

When Manny came to bat in the first inning, there was a wall of sound. The
majority of it came from a standing ovation by Dodgers fans. The San Diego
partisans on hand booed as loudly as they could, but they appeared to be
decisively outnumbered.

Manny, for those of you keeping score at home, walked in this appearance, doing
his bit to help the Dodgers to a five-run first and an eventual 6-3 victory. He
was retired in his other three at-bats; two groundouts and a popup. He was
lifted for a defensive replacement, Juan Pierre, in the sixth. That was a sound
move because Pierre had to go a long way in a hurry to haul in a drive by Adrian
Gonzalez in the eighth.

Manny didn't produce like Manny at the plate, but then, he hadn't seen Major
League pitching in two months. He'll hit again. There will be increased
ambivalence about his work because of the PED issue, but he'll hit again.

But what of the man himself? What was Manny's public attitude as he returned,
all the way from his enforced exile to the National League West? Was he going to
be deeply penitent, extremely regretful?

"Showtime!" Manny exclaimed, twice, as he entered a pregame media session. Some
people might want guilty PED parties to be a little less, you know, bouncy,
upbeat, jovial. But this was "Manny being Manny," the phrase that, for this
career, explains everything and nothing. Ramirez was accompanied by his agent,
Scott Boras, so you knew that this was really important.

Manny produced a media session that was like "The Greatest Hits of the Steroid
Era." He apologized, but refused to say what his sin had been, exactly like
Jason Giambi in the same circumstances. When asked about PED use, he performed
very much like Mark McGwire had before a Congressional committee. McGwire said
he was not there to talk about the past. Confronted with the same questions,
Manny said that he was not here to talk about his medical records.

At the outset, Manny was confronted with the direct question: "How long did you
take steroids?" He replied: "First, I want to say that God is good and good is
God. I don't want to get into my medical records right now. I'm happy to be
here. I missed the game. I'm ready to play. I was practicing in Triple-A, and I
can't wait to enter the field. "

Ramirez said he was sorry he had let down the fans and his teammates. He seemed
completely sincere, although he declined to provide the reason that the apology
was needed. One of the most telling moments came when he was asked if he was
surprised by the support he has received from Dodgers fans.

"No, because they know when I step on the field, I'm going to give it all that
I've got," Ramirez said. "And they know I can play. I'm not surprised. They're
the best fans in the whole world. I wish I could have been there a long time
ago. I'm not surprised because I'm one of the best players who ever put on the
uniform."

At least this suspension has not eroded Manny's self-esteem. All things
considered, even counting two religious references, Ramirez came off as more
flippant than penitent in this session. A more charitable way of viewing his
remarks was offered by Dodgers manager Joe Torre.

"I think he's very uncomfortable with this," Torre said. "I was here, and I
heard some of the answers and I just think he's uncomfortable. He didn't deny
doing something wrong, and he apologized for it and he doesn't want to talk
about it. He's trying to answer your questions, but he's uncomfortable with it.
That's what I get out of it. It's an uncomfortable time for him. When he came
into our clubhouse last August, he talked about all he wants to do is play
baseball and go home. That's what he wants to do. I think he's uncomfortable
with all the public stuff. He doesn't look shy with all the antics that you see
from time to time, but that's my opinion."

That is a plausible explanation. Manny paid for his PED sins with a 50-game
suspension and roughly $7 million in lost salary. But he still gets to return to
the team with baseball's best record and the promise of better things to come.
He still has Boras looking out for his well-being, fiscal and otherwise.

And if Friday night's road game is any indicator, he still has the complete
loyalty and affection of legions of Dodgers fans. They set the tone for his
return Friday night. Everybody knew it, including the man himself.

"It was great, man," Ramirez said. "It was the best. I want to thank all my
fans. I think they drove from L.A. to watch the game and to watch me. It was
unbelievable. Thanks to the fans of L.A. They made it easy for me to go and
play."

Source: Mike Bauman / MLB.com