Edited transcript of the conversation between new Giants pitcher Tim Hudson and KNBR's Tom Tolbert and Ray Ratto:

Tolbert: Tell us a little bit about why you chose the Giants in free agency, Tim ...

Hudson: Well, it just felt right. It was one of those things where a lot of teams were pursuing me, and obviously there's a lot of emotion tied to staying in Atlanta, and it was something we really had to think hard about. San Francisco was after me hard from the start, they were really aggressive from the beginning, and they made no secret about it. After thinking about it and talking with my family, and talking with my kids and wondering if it could be a possibility to relocate back to the West Coast, it was something that we very seriously considered. Once we got the ball rolling and started talking with the Giants, it was pretty obvious that it was definitely a possibility, and the more we thought about it the more we were excited about it. ... I think my kids are really looking forward to coming up here and spending the summer and doing something that we haven't done before.

Tolbert: As you get a little older, what are the different factors that you look at as you make your decision?

Hudson: I'm going to be quite honest with you: I think the money aspect of it was probably toward the bottom of the list. At this point of your career, one thing you're concerned about is, "Are you and your family going to be happy in that city and with that organization? Is that organization committed to winning?" Those are things that we look at, and everything pointed in the right direction. I just think the whole package there is something that I'm looking forward to at this point in my career. It's a great stadium, it's a great pitchers' park, the fans are awesome - they've had sellouts every game since 2010. Just going in there and playing against the Giants, as an opponent you go in there and you envy what they have. It's exciting to be a part of something like that. I have been a part of something like that at times, but to know it's going to be like that every home game, and an opportunity to win your division and play for a championship club, it's something that you can't really turn down.

Ratto: Can we infer from what you said about your priorities that the Giants did not have the most lucrative offer? It's been reported that you took less money to come to San Francisco. Is that true?

Hudson: No, I'm not really sure how that story got circulated around. The Giants were at or near the top of any offer that was out there. A lot of it was the fact that they came with two years guaranteed, and obviously staying in the National League was a big part of my decision-making. It was just one of those things where everything was being done the right way, and there were a lot of teams that were very competitive, and a lot of really tough decisions that me and my wife had to make. But ultimately everything felt right going to the Giants.

Tolbert: The A's were also after you. Was that a tough decision to make, based on the success you had there and the ties you have to the organization and Billy Beane?

Hudson: Yeah, that was the toughest one of all. Billy - I consider him more of a friend than anything. They were pushing hard for me, and I was really excited about that opportunity to go there and play. It was a hard decision and an emotional decision as well, because we did have so many great times out there. They gave me an opportunity to start my big-league career, and I'll always thank them for that. The fans there are great as well, but it's just one of those things. When we looked at the total package with San Francisco, and the fact that they're in the National League ... they were very similar offers, but we just felt like it was going to be a little better for our family to stay in the National League and be in San Francisco.