Marlins set to give Adam Greenberg at-bat today

• Greenberg was hit in the head in his only at-bat in the majors seven years ago
• Greenberg is expected to serve as a pinch hitter
• Greenberg could face NL Cy Young candidate R.A. Dickey

Adam Greenberg is getting a second chance at the majors with the Miami Marlins, even if it is for only one at-bat.

Greenberg's career was derailed seven years after his first at-bat when was hit in the head in his major league debut.

Today, he is expected to pinch-hit and possibly face New York Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, a National League Cy Young candidate.

"He's a big leaguer," Dickey said before Monday's loss to the Marlins. "I am going to treat him like a big leaguer and that is why he is here. I would hope he wouldn't want anything less than that. If he comes up, he is going to get a steady dose of my best, whatever that is."

Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen wants to make sure the at-bat is official, and not a walk.

"If the kid is going to get a walk, please swing the bat 3-0, I will let you swing the bat. Make sure you don't walk," Guillen said. "If he gets a hit by a pitch he's got to pray to somebody else because two big league at-bats getting hit by a pitch, that's very bad luck. He better change religions because if you get hit by pitches in two at-bats, oh my gosh, you better go to church every two
days."

The Miami Marlins announced last week that they would sign Greenberg, a former Chicago Cubs prospect, to a one-day contract.

Greenberg's big league debut quickly came to an end on July 9, 2005. The outfielder came in as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and was hit in the head by a pitch thrown by Marlins' Valerio De Los Santos. It was his only plate appearance of his major league career.

Greenberg suffered bouts with vertigo, vision issues, and post-concussion syndrome since the incident. He has made an attempt to return the the major league level, but did not make it higher than the Double-A level in the minors.

"I think it's good for the kid," said Guillen. "We decided to do it and people have to respect that about what we're going to do with the kid. I think it's a positive. Obviously if we were in the penant race or this game means something, or if the Mets were in the pennant race or somebody was competing against the Mets in the penant race and we have to beat them, then it's different. I dont think it's going to kill anything to get the kid an at-bat."

Contributing: Associated Press