Ramirez apologizes to his Dodgers teammates

May 16, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

MIAMI (AP) — An “anxious” Manny Ramirez apologized to his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Friday, the first time he was around the club since being suspended for 50 games for using a banned substance.

Ramirez used the words “I’m sorry,” said Dodgers manager Joe Torre, although many players said the apology wasn’t necessary.

“It was uncomfortable. I’ll give you that,” Torre said. “We spent some time together before we went into the meeting room and he was a little anxious. That’s the human side of this thing. He basically went around, shook everybody’s hand. I think guys were happy to see him. I think there was a little uneasiness on both sides.”

The brief meeting took place in a conference room at the team’s waterfront hotel in South Florida before the Dodgers arrived at the Marlins’ stadium to start a three-game series.

“I think he just wanted to let his team know how sorry he is,” Torre said.

Ramirez lives near the Marlins’ stadium but is not expected at the ballpark this weekend.

“He knows he made a mistake. I forgive him,” Dodgers third baseman Casey Blake said. “It’s his business.”

Ramirez was suspended on May 7. Dodgers owner Frank McCourt met with him twice last weekend in Los Angeles and encouraged Ramirez to apologize to teammates “eyeball to eyeball.”

That opportunity came Friday, when the Dodgers saw their teammate for the first time since the suspension. Plans for the meeting were announced Thursday night when the team arrived in South Florida.

“I don’t think anyone was really looking for” an apology, Blake said. “It was something he wanted to do and I think it was heartfelt.”

Ramirez spoke for a few minutes, and teammates — other than greeting him and shaking his hand — did not ask any questions, said Blake, who declined to say what words Ramirez specifically used during his address to the Dodgers.

“I think in Manny’s case, it made him feel better just to get in front of the team,” Blake said. “I think it was kind of a big load off his shoulders just to greet the team again.”

Torre said Ramirez will begin working out again next week, possibly at Dodger Stadium. Ramirez will also discuss the situation publicly at some point before his suspension ends, although that’s not expected to come this weekend.