"With (Hudson) and Furcal, you have two switch-hitters and they both have speed," Torre said. "If I'm managing against a team like that, one of the priorities would be to keep those guys off the bases. I think you're applying pressure."

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti also said conversations with Ramirez's agent, Scott Boras, are heating up.

"Scott and I have talked much more this past seven days than we have in the past few months," he said. "I won't characterize the progress, but the conversations are more frequent and longer."

Hudson received a $3 million base contract and a $380,000 signing bonus. The second baseman can make up to $8 million through incentives all based on plate appearances.

Hudson is coming off surgery last Aug. 9 to repair a dislocated left wrist, his second major wrist injury in two years. But Colletti said the Dodgers worked out Hudson twice in the last three weeks.

Colletti said he expects Hudson to be ready to go Sunday with no restrictions.

"Is there risk? There is always risk and there might be a touch more with this," he said. "But we felt it was worth the risk. As the winter went on, we became more and more intrigued with his ability."

Hudson came up a defensive specialist and became a three-time Gold Glove winner. He also blossomed into a career .282 hitter and was hitting third at times in the Arizona order to capitalize on his run production.

"You knew he had speed and was very aggressive. But you see could the bat part coming around," Torre said. "But he's kept working at it. He never backed off trying to improve."