Faced with that challenge, the Brewers did some major recruiting. Manager Ken Macha called Hoffman to help court him, and the Brewers put baseball's all-time saves leader in touch with head trainer Roger Caplinger for a 40-minute discussion on conditioning and game preparation from a medical standpoint.

Two of the team's veteran leaders, catcher Jason Kendall and center fielder Mike Cameron, also placed calls to Hoffman to relate their first-year experience of playing in Milwaukee.

"I really think the calls by Kendall and Cameron really paid off for us," general manager Doug Melvin said. "They've enjoyed playing here, and they told (Hoffman) that."

That full-court press worked. Hoffman, 41, eschewed the Dodgers and signed a one-year deal with the Brewers for $6 million, with an additional $1.5 million in incentives, based on games finished.

"They pursed me and I appreciated that," Hoffman said. "Mr. Melvin was so honest from the jump-start, and that hit a chord with me. It just needed time to play out."

With 16 big-league seasons under his belt, including the last 15 1/2 with San Diego, Hoffman is nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career. And, while he had a higher ERA (3.77) last season and homers-per-innings-pitched ratio than in the past, the six-time All-Star remained productive on a last-place team.

Hoffman converted 30 of 34 save opportunities, an 88 percent success ratio. The only closer to reach 500 career saves, he is 554-for-621 for his career.

In 45 1/3 innings last season, Hoffman walked only nine while logging 46 strikeouts.

Melvin noted that Hoffman's ERA was inflated primarily by two outings. On April 2 against Houston, he allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning, and on June 1 in San Francisco, he surrendered three runs in one-third of an inning.

"He's still very effective," Melvin said. "His walk/strikeout ratio was still the best it has ever been. He gives up home runs here and there, but he doesn't have many 'blow-up' outings."

In 929 career games, including 28 as a rookie with Florida in 1993, Hoffman is 56-66 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched). He has a 1.59 ERA and eight saves in 11 appearances at Miller Park and has fared well against divisional rival Chicago, with a 2.66 ERA and 34 saves in 57 outings.

But Melvin was just as impressed with the information he received on the character of Hoffman, a five-time recipient of the Padres' Roberto Clemente Award who has a solid reputation in the clubhouse.

"He's well-liked by his teammates and a great competitor with a strong work ethic," Melvin said. "That's the kind of stuff that rubs off on teammates. It'll be good for our young pitchers to watch a veteran like him."