"That Barry Zito could throw at full speed on flat ground Friday was good news for him and the Giants. That he was at Dodger Stadium in uniform, and not in the hospital - or worse - was even better news.

Before a throwing session that convinced everyone Zito will be able to start as scheduled Sunday, the left-hander recounted his Wednesday night traffic accident for the first time and said his fate might have been worse had instinct not taken over when he realized a taxicab that ran a red light was going to hit him.

"If I didn't make a certain decision to hit the gas when I saw him, he would have hit the front of the car," Zito said. "It would have been a different story. ... It was his fault all the way."

Zito was turning onto his street in West Hollywood when his rented Cadillac was broadsided toward the back on the passenger side. He spent three hours at the hospital that night and had X-rays, then had an MRI exam Thursday. Everything looked normal."