Salomon Torres is not necessarily glad he left Pittsburgh, but he most definitely sounds delighted to be with the Milwaukee Brewers.

"It was a blessing being traded," Torres said yesterday in the visitors' clubhouse. "As much as I loved the fans and the city here - and I still do - the opportunity I've gotten with my new team to be part of something special."

By that, Torres meant being the closer on a contender. He has 26 saves, including a 25-for-29 success rate since taking the job May 24.

"It's been amazing, and I'm very, very happy. I feel like I've erased any doubts that anybody had about me, and I'm so excited to be in a pennant race."

He was involved in none, needless to say, with the Pirates.

"It's unfortunate, but you still play in Pittsburgh in September without hope. That's not how it is here. I feel like I've grown as a pitcher because of these games we play. I feel like I've pitched better for the Brewers than I would have for the Pirates because of that. It helps your preparation, your focus. Everything you do really matters."

The Pirates traded Torres Dec. 7 for two relief prospects, Marino Salas and Kevin Roberts. Neither has fared well this season: Salas, an older prospect at 26, had a 9.26 ERA with the Pirates, 3.47 with Class AAA Indianapolis. Roberts, 24, had a 7.56 ERA with Class AA Altoona and was demoted to Class A Lynchburg, where he is at 3.73.

The Pirates will go, at times, with a six-man rotation in September, manager John Russell said. The pitchers will be the current five, plus Ross Ohlendorf when he is promoted from Indianapolis next week. The team has two off-days the rest of the way, he added, so that will keep it from being a strict six-man cycle.

The greatest issue here: Paul Maholm is at 174 innings and will top his previous career high for a season with three more. The plan is to keep Maholm from going "too far past 200," Russell said, and that could mean revisiting his status in the final week.

"It's one of Paul's goals to get to 200, but we want him going into the offseason with no ill effects," Russell said.

• Russell spoke of having "much more competition" for starting jobs, but he stopped short of saying the only starter with a job locked up is Maholm: "Obviously, Paul has done the job, everything we've asked. ... I don't know yet. Let's see where we go."

• Nyjer Morgan and Brandon Moss switched outfield spots, Morgan going to right and Moss back to left.

• The Pirates will honor legendary owner Barney Dreyfuss, posthumously inducted to the Hall of Fame last month, with a pregame ceremony tonight. Great grandsons Evan and Andrew Dreyfuss will attend.