ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Manny Ramirez felt pretty good --

despite all the boos and the three strikeouts.

The 12-time All-Star went 0 for 4 for the Triple-A Sacramento

River Cats on Saturday night as he began a 10-game minor league

stint to prepare to be activated by the Oakland Athletics from his

50-game suspension for a second positive drug test.

Manny Ramirez walks back to the dugout after striking out to end the top of the fifth inning on Saturday. He finished his Triple-A debut 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. AP Photo/Jake Schoellkopf

"I'm ready to go," said Ramirez, who signed with the A's in

February. "I haven't played. The last time I played was last year.

I have to go out there, take a lot of pitches, you know, get my

rhythm, feel good."

Ramirez stepped to the plate for the first time at Isotopes Park

to loud boos from the Albuquerque fans, but he was cheered as he

strolled back to the dugout after being called out on strikes

without his bat leaving his shoulder.

He hit a weak, broken-bat liner to second on the first pitch of

his second at-bat and worked the count full during his third

at-bat before striking out swinging. He went down swinging on three

pitches in his final at-bat.

Jeff Fiorentino walked as a pinch hitter for Ramirez in the

ninth and scored the go-ahead run in Sacramento's 7-6 victory.

Ramirez, who has 555 career homers and 1,831 RBIs, retired last

season rather than serve a 100-game suspension for failing a second

drug test. But commissioner Bud Selig cut the suspension in half

after Ramirez sat out the balance of the season. He served a

50-game suspension in 2009 while with the Los Angeles Dodgers

organization, playing parts of three games in Albuquerque during

his rehabilitation assignment.

He's eligible to return to the majors on May 30, his 40th

birthday.

Despite the crowd's reaction, Ramirez said it was the fans that

convinced him to return.

"When I retired, I was all over the place," he said. "And I

went to the fans and they told, me, 'We miss you. The game is not

the same without you.' They can't wait for me to do what I do,

playing the game."

He had been in extended spring training in Arizona before

heading to Albuquerque.

"I was working out every day," Ramirez said. "It's about

getting the time in and seeing the pitches. I got it now. It's just

a matter of timing."

Now his goal is to return to the majors as quickly as possible

and make an impact with the A's.

"I am going to go do what I do," he said. "When you're

playing this game, anybody can be a leader, you know. But your

actions are going to speak louder than your words. I just have to

play hard and move on."