CLEVELAND -- The same day Baltimore's manager made a comeback, Cal Ripken Jr. returned to the Orioles.

	Ripken

Ripken, out since June 28 because of lower back pain, was activated from the 15-day disabled list and in Baltimore's lineup at designated hitter for Friday night's game against the Cleveland Indians.

"Is it official yet?" Ripken asked when told he was penciled in at DH. "I'm excited about it. (Last night) felt a little bit like the night before opening day. I had a little trouble sleeping."

Ripken singled in the second inning in his first at-bat in more than two months and finished 1-for-3 in Baltimore's 5-2 loss to the Indians.

"Cal swung well, he really did," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. "There's a little more intensity in a game and he certainly responded. You can take all the batting practice you want, but there's nothing like doing it when it counts. It was good to see."

Baseball's Iron Man, now 40, is planning to use the final month of the season to determine his baseball future. He's been on the DL three times in the past two years.

"I hope to be able to assess my physical condition," Ripken said. "By the end of September I want to be able sit back and see where I am physically. I think I can still play. My skill is still there. I can still hit a 98 mph fastball. The bigger question for me is how the back is going to hold up, and I need the month of September to look at that."

Because Ripken didn't go out on a rehab assignment, Orioles manager Mike Hargrove plans to proceed slowly in brining Ripken along.

Ripken, who missed 59 games while on the DL, will likely DH during the series against the Indians before he plays a few innings at third base. Entering Friday night's game, Ripken had only been DH four times in his career, all this season.

"It's almost like a spring training plan," Ripken said. "As DH, it gives me the opportunity to separate the game in half, the offensive and defensive side. Diving and hyperextending my back in the field got me in trouble the last time around. It's something I have to take day-by-day, give the manager the information and let him make a decision."

The time away was tough on Ripken, who holds the major league record for appearing 2,632 straight games. Not only did he have to find things to do, but when he came back the Orioles were a different team.

Baltimore traded shortstop Mike Bordick, catcher Charles Johnson, outfielder B.J. Surhoff and DH Harold Baines while Ripken was out, and now has a roster full of players that he's still getting to know.

"There's been a big changeover in the direction of the club. It's gone from a veteran-type club to one that's in a rebuilding mode and has a youthful look. It's been a process I've seen before and gone through before. You keep your fingers crossed that it doesn't last as long as a normal rebuilding process."

Ripken was batting .239 with 13 homers and 43 RBIs before going on the DL. He said the toughest part of being sidelined was trying to stay busy.

"I've been trying new things, trying to find positive things to do," he said. "Trying to find the silver lining in being out for a while. I don't think I've been totally successful at that. But I've remained pretty positive and gotten through it somehow, and now I've back to the point where I can get back on the field."