Waipahu's Williams to make pitching debut for Giants

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Pitcher Jerome Williams of Waipahu is scheduled to make his major league debut Friday when the San Francisco Giants visit the Philadelphia Phillies.

Williams, who turned 21 in December, was recalled from Triple-A Fresno (Calif.) today to fill a spot in the starting rotation temporarily vacated by Jason Schmidt, who has left the team to attend his mother's funeral. Williams said he was not told whether the promotion was for one start or permanent.

The game is expected to aired on KKEA (1420 AM), which broadcasts Giants games in Hawai'i.

The highly-touted 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-hander from Waipahu High School was elated when he got a call from Bobby Evans, the Giants' director of minor league operations.

"I was shocked," Williams said. "It felt weird. When Bobby Evans called, I said, 'Huh? You're joking?'"

But it was no joke. The San Francisco Chronicle speculated the move because Williams would be available for Schmidt's slot in the rotation because Williams last pitched on Sunday. He said he pitched five innings that day.

Williams was 1-1 with a 1.29 earned run average in four starts with the Fresno Grizzlies of the Pacific Coast League. He had 15 strikeouts to eight walks in 21 innings.

"I've been waiting for this for a long time," Williams said. "Now that it's here, all I gotta do is prove myself."

Williams, a 1999 Advertiser State Player of the Year, was the 39th overall selection in the 1999 draft. He has steadily climbed through the Giants minor league system and was twice rated the Giants' top prospect by Baseball America.