LOS ANGELES — High expectations, low results. That’s been the story for the Los Angeles Dodgers since they won the 1988 World Series.

Joe Torre believes he can play a significant role in changing their fortunes.

“Winning is very important, yes,” Torre said Monday after being introduced as the 26th manager in the history of the Dodgers and the eighth since the franchise moved west from Brooklyn in 1958.

“It’s more important to build a foundation,” he said. “We’re going to work hard, folks. I think we’re going to make everybody proud of the product we put on the field.”

Torre signed a three-year, $13 million contract to manage the Dodgers last Thursday, exactly two weeks after walking away from the New York Yankees when they offered a one-year contract worth $5 million plus $3 million in performance bonuses he termed “an insult.”

He completed a three-year, $19.2 million contract with the Yankees this year.

“The last two weeks have been a whirlwind,” Torre said. “You say goodbye to one prestigious organization and you say hello to another. This is surreal for me. It’s been an emotional roller coaster for my family over the last couple of weeks with everything that’s gone on.”

Torre succeeds Grady Little, who resigned last Tuesday. Torre said Don Mattingly and Larry Bowa will accompany him from New York as two members of his coaching staff in Los Angeles. Mattingly lost out to Joe Girardi for the Yankees’ managerial job.

Torre grew up in Brooklyn when it was home to the Dodgers, but he rooted for the rival New York Giants.

“You look at this uniform, I remember when it was Brooklyn,” he said while looking down at his No. 6, the same number he wore in New York. “These things are very vivid to me. Carl Furillo wore No. 6. There was a certain pride factor that I associated with this organization.”

Torre was a big winner in New York, guiding the Yankees to four World Series championships, six AL pennants and playoff appearances in all 12 years as their manager. He becomes the second person to manage the Yankees and Dodgers, joining Casey Stengel.

While the Yankees won, the Dodgers struggled. They’ve made the playoffs only four times since 1988, and there was trouble in the clubhouse late this season between older and younger players during a late-season fade that saw them finish fourth in the NL West.

“We go in, we’re all wearing the same uniform,” Torre said. “That’s how I feel. I have a sense we’re all going to pull in the same direction. My job as a manager, it’s all about communication. It’s listening to players, try to understand, make sense. That’s my job, to make sure we have a direction to go in.

“I just do the best I can and that’s all I ask of my players.”

Torre said he spoke recently with second baseman Jeff Kent, who made the clubhouse issues public during the team’s 3-11 finish to the year.

Kent, who turns 40 in March, is under contract for next season, but said before heading home earlier this fall he was uncertain regarding his future.

“He seemed excited,” Torre said. “I don’t know Jeff Kent. I felt pretty upbeat and positive he was coming back next year. Hopefully that’s the case.”

Brad Penny, a 16-game winner for the Dodgers this year, thinks people are making too much of the clubhouse problems.

“We were getting along great for five months. I was there, it wasn’t that bad,” Penny said. “It wasn’t Grady’s fault. For whatever reason, we weren’t good enough to make it.”

That said, Penny praised the hiring of Torre, baseball’s career leader in postseason victories with 76. He ranks eighth on the regular-season wins list with a 2,067-1,770 record.

“I think it’s great for the team and the city,” Penny said. “There’s a buzz in the city. He knows a lot about the game. When he talks, you’re going to listen. Going into the spring, everyone’s going to be excited. He probably has a pretty good idea of what we need, who to put where. We’re going to need some help.”

Torre returns to the National League for the first time since 1995, when the St. Louis Cardinals replaced him with Tony La Russa. Torre also managed the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.

Broadcaster Vin Scully, who moved with the team from Brooklyn, delivered the opening remarks at Monday’s news conference, which was held in center field to accommodate the overload of media, a first according to team spokesman Josh Rawitch.

The Dodgers said 190 media members signed in for the event, including three from New York newspapers. The number attending, including Dodgers employees and others, was more than 250.

“What impresses me most about this gentleman is he has done it both on and off the field,” Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said, ticking off Torre’s accomplishments with the Yankees. “He leads and he wins.”

General manager Ned Colletti said the Dodgers could use some pitching help and a middle-of-the-order bat. The latter describes Alex Rodriguez perfectly, but whether his contract demands can be met is another story.

Rodriguez’s agent, Scott Boras, announced his client was opting out of the final three years of his contract with the Yankees on Oct. 28, during Game 4 of the World Series.

Torre said he had a good relationship with Rodriguez in New York.

“This has happened so quickly, we haven’t had time to talk about it,” Torre said. “I think he’s comfortable, I’m comfortable. I’m sure Alex Rodriguez is going to do what’s best for his family.”

Colletti said he hadn’t spoken with Boras for months.

“We’ll have to see if they have an interest in being here,” Colletti said. “I don’t know if they do. It will have to make sense.”