PHOENIX -- And you thought they were just a midgame diversion. It turns out that the Brewers' racing sausages played a role in landing reliever Salomon Torres.

Torres, 35, was surprised by the December trade that sent him from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee. And in the emotion that immediately followed the news, he told a reporter that he might retire rather than report to Milwaukee.

At least that was how it was reported. Torres insists that he simply said he wanted time to discuss the move with his wife and three young children, including a 1 1/2-year-old son and two daughters who attended school just blocks from the family's Pittsburgh-area home. Torres was also very active in his church there.

"All I said was, 'I need to take a long look at what I'm going to do now,' " said Torres, who admitted that retirement did enter his mind. "I didn't want to commit either way."

Enter the sausages. Torres sat down and asked the family for feedback. His daughters, 6-year-old Ashley and 4-year-old Allison, asked where they would be going.

"I said, 'Milwaukee. You know those racing sausages? That's where,' " he said.

The girls went wild.

"That was the big selling point," he said with a laugh.

Torres, who turns 36 on March 11, also felt compelled to honor his contract, no matter where it took him. He will earn $3.2 million in 2008, and the Brewers hold a club option of $3.75 million for 2009. He would receive a $300,000 buyout if the option were to be declined.

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio called Torres personally after the trade. So did general manager Doug Melvin and manager Ned Yost.

"Without throwing any dirt on my former [team], it was like, 'These people really care about me,' " Torres said. "After a couple of hours, a couple of days, it became evident that I needed to go back. We decided as a family that we were going to move."

Torres went 2-4 for the Pirates last season with a 4.35 ERA in 56 games. The Brewers like his durability and command of the strike zone (17 walks in 52 2/3 innings last year). In addition, Torres spent parts of the last two seasons as a closer, and he could be a potential backup to new Brewers closer Eric Gagne.

Speaking of Gagne: Gagne, who has remained silent since his name appeared in former Sen. George Mitchell's report on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, did not take part in Saturday's workout. The clubhouse will be closed to reporters on Sunday while players undergo physicals, so Gagne's first opportunity to make a statement could come on Monday.

According to the Mitchell Report, Gagne received two shipments of human growth hormone from former Mets clubhouse attendant Kirk Radomski in 2004 while playing for the Dodgers. The Report alleges that Gagne was put in touch with Radomski through then-Dodgers teammate Paul Lo Duca.

Lo Duca, now with the Washington Nationals, on Saturday ended his silence on the Report and, in a written statement, apologized for "mistakes in judgment." He did not answer any questions.

Media guide updates: Dave Bush and Tony Gwynn Jr. reported to their first Spring Training as fathers. Alyse Gwynn gave birth to a daughter on Oct. 9, and Carrie Bush had a daughter in November.

Bush has the inside track on a spot in the starting rotation, whereas Gwynn's role is more fuzzy. Center fielder Mike Cameron will miss the first 25 games while he serves a suspension, and Gwynn is one of those who will contend for those starts.

"I feel completely different coming in here this year than I did last year," said Gwynn, who batted .286 last year at Triple-A Nashville and .260 in 69 games with the Brewers. "Staying [in the Majors] last year as long as I [did] built confidence. I feel like if I get the opportunity, good things are going to happen."

Last call: Unless you count Gwynn, none of the Brewers' Opening Day starters took part in Saturday's workout. Position players are not required to report until Friday. "They don't need to be here," Yost said. "They've got enough confidence to know that Spring Training is long enough for them to be ready, and they'll be ready." ... The Brewers will know more on Sunday about the health of right-hander Mark DiFelice, who sustained a microfracture in his knee late last season and underwent surgery. He likely will be limited during the team's early workouts. ... Assistant GM Gord Ash said that that one Minor Leaguer scheduled to be in big league camp was having visa issues, but he didn't name the player. Dominican Ozzie Chavez and Venezuelan Alcides Escobar -- both infielders -- were not in attendance on Saturday. ... Since DiFelice could spend February at the Minor League complex rehabbing his knee, the Brewers will have 48 players in camp. That's by far the fewest since Melvin and Yost took over.