Lewis remembers Ziegler

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 15, 2008 | by BAY AREA NEWS GROUP

ATLANTA -- To the list of baseball folks applauding A's reliever Brad Ziegler and his record-tying streak of 39 scoreless innings, add two Giants.

Right-hander Matt Palmer played with Ziegler at Missouri State. And outfielder Fred Lewis has kept Ziegler in his thoughts ever since one fateful day in 2004.

Lewis hit the line drive that fractured Ziegler's skull in an A- ball game at Modesto. The Giants outfielder remembers every detail.

"First inning, second pitch of the game," Lewis said. "It bounced so hard off his head that the third baseman caught it. I didn't get out of the batter's box, I was so sick.

"It was an inside fastball. I hit it where it's pitched. I didn't mean to "..."

Of course he didn't mean to. Everyone knew that. San Jose coaches reinforced it to Lewis.

"Trevor Wilson told me, 'Fast Freddie, that's not your fault,' " Lewis said. "But I was devastated."

Lewis and Ziegler found their closure last year, when they faced each other in a Triple-A game. They chatted beforehand.

"I congratulated him for being back and said I didn't mean to hit it like that," Lewis said. "He said, 'I'll never thrown you another fastball over the plate.' "

Ziegler gave up the first run of his career Thursday after posting 39 scoreless innings. He matched a 59-year-old major league record for relievers.

"Brad always knew he was in for big things, and guess what? He was," said Palmer, who remembered his teammate before he switched from an over-the-top delivery to a sidearm release.

Another rookie ready

When Palmer appears, he will become the 15th Giant to make his major league debut this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it'll be the most pre-September debuts by a major league club since the 1954 Philadelphia Athletics, who also broke in 15 rookies.

Palmer is expected to fill a long relief role, but he prides himself on being available to pitch.

"I pitched eight days in a row in Venezuela this winter," he said.

Short hops

Aaron Rowand said his sciatic nerve condition quieted down but he was held out of the lineup as a precaution. He expects to start today. ... Eugenio Velez started a second consecutive game at second base, but manager Bruce Bochy said he hasn't taken a regular gig away from Emmanuel Burriss. "We've lost four in a row, we'd like to get more offense and we'll go with the guys who've been swinging it," Bochy said.

-- Andrew Baggarly,

MediaNews staff