LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Dodgers manager Davey Johnson rejoined the team Thursday, and said he had been ordered to make some changes in his life due to an irregular heart rhythm.

"This is the biggest day of my life," he said with a laugh upon emerging from the Los Angeles clubhouse to meet with reporters 2½ hours before the Dodgers faced the Colorado Rockies. "The way we were playing, I thought about staying away another week or two. I think some people wanted me to."

	Manager Davey Johnson called his return to the Dodgers dugout Thursday "the biggest day of my life."

With bench coach Jim Tracy serving as interim manager, the Dodgers went 3-1 in Johnson's absence, raising their record to 48-45. It's been speculated that Johnson's job could be in jeopardy.

Johnson, 57, was released from Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood shortly before the Dodgers beat the Rockies 9-1 Wednesday night.

His wife, Susan, took him to Verdugo Hills Hospital early Sunday when he complained of dizziness. The problem was diagnosed as an irregular heart rhythm.

"It was a little scary," Johnson said. "It's something you don't mess with. I almost fainted a couple times. It took about 24 hours for me to get back to normal.

"They told me I had to get a little healthier. I can't have any caffeine, I can't drink a couple glasses of wine, I can't chew tobacco."

Johnson had a similar incident while managing the Baltimore Orioles about four years ago, and said he fainted that time.

He has been placed on medication, prompting him to say: "I've only been on it a couple days. If I make a blunder in the ballgame, you can blame it on the medication; two days' grace."

Johnson said he would have returned Wednesday night, but got out of the hospital too late.

"I thought it would be a good night to come, Brownie pitching," he said, referring to staff ace Kevin Brown, who held the Rockies to one hit in eight innings. "They wouldn't let me out until 6 o'clock last night.

"I feel all right. When you get in there, they kind of strap you to everything. It's not fun. It was good to get out of there; they were nice to me."

As far as the job Tracy did, Johnson said: "We won three out of four, so I couldn't second-guess too bad."

Tracy said he was glad to have Johnson back.

"Absolutely, without question," he said. "I talked to him today, as soon as he said hello, I could tell from his voice he was ready to come back."

Johnson was greeted warmly by his players.

"I'm happy to have him back, as long as he's healthy," pitcher Darren Dreifort said.

"I think it's great that he's back," catcher Chad Krueter said. "We missed him. When somebody has a physical ailment like that, you feel for them. It makes you realize how fragile your existence is here."

Johnson is in his second year as the Dodgers' manager. He previously managed the New York Mets for seven years, the Cincinnati Reds for three years and the Orioles for two seasons after spending 11 full seasons and parts of two others as a big-league player.