Manny Ramirez welcomed back with applause, questions

Because he knows there are people who want him to fail?

"I'm not going to fail," he said.

He then said he had nothing to prove.

Leaning into the microphone one last time, he said, "It's showtime tonight!"

With that, he departed from the dais, and Torre took his place.

"I think he's very uncomfortable with this," Torre said. "I heard some of the answers; I think he's just uncomfortable."

This wasn't an unfamiliar place for Torre. When he managed the New York Yankees, he had an All-Star player in Jason Giambi who was linked to steroid use. Torre said he didn't think Ramirez would share Giambi's fate.

"The only thing I know is that Manny is a legitimately good hitter," he said. "Jason was more of a power-type guy."

But the road back to normality included a stop in the absurd.

Richard Andersen, general manager of Petco Park, said the Padres increased their security presence for the three-game series and that security guards and police officers would be stationed to discourage fans from throwing anything onto the field.

Dodgers chief of security Ray Maytorena was among the team's officials at the park. He said he would be with Ramirez for at least six games.

Television production trucks lined the outside of the park. About 150 reporters covered the game.

The players who share a clubhouse with Ramirez said they were used to it.

"It's deja vu, him coming back," Andre Ethier said.

The weird will get weirder. The Dodgers' next stop will be in New York, where they will face the Mets in a three-game series that starts Tuesday.

Dodgers third base coach Larry Bowa said Ramirez was fortunate to have this all take place at Petco Park.

"I'd rather be in San Diego than New York," Bowa said.

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dylan.hernandez @latimes.com