Justin Duchscherer
From SoSH
| Born: | November 19, 1977 |
| Birthplace: | Aberdeen, South Dakota |
| Hometown: | |
| Height: | 6' 3" |
| Weight: | 164 lbs |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 8th Round, 1996 by Boston Red Sox |
| College: | None |
| High School: | Coronado (TX) |
| Other Teams: | Texas Rangers 2001 Oakland A's 2002-Present |
| Years with Boston: | 1996 - 2001 |
Contents |
Overall Career
Duchscherer was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the 1996 MLB Draft out of Coronado High School in Lubbock, Texas. His high-80's fastball made him one of the hardest throwers in the area, but his velocity quickly became average as he entered the minor leagues. As Duchscherer continued to struggle in the low levels of the minor leagues, he was beginning to look more like a roster filler than a big-league prospect. But in 2001, he turned his career around. He went 6-3 with a 2.44 ERA in 12 starts for the Trenton Thunder before being traded to the Texas Rangers for catcher Doug Mirabelli.
On September 9, 2003, he made a start for the A's in place of ace Mark Mulder against the Anaheim Angels in the heat of a tight division race. He pitched 7 scoreless innings to earn his first big-league win. That same day, his wife gave birth to their first son, Evan Duchscherer.
In the spring of 2004, the A's had a decision to make for the last man in their bullpen. It was between soft-tossing Duchscherer and flame-throwing Chad Harville. They went with Duchsherer, and traded Harville to the Houston Astros for Kirk Saarloos. The move paid off, as Duchscherer appeared in 53 games out of the bullpen, sporting an ERA of 3.27.
2005 was Duchscherer's breakout year. He was selected to the American League All-Star team, the A's lone representative. He finished the year with 7 wins out of the bullpen and a 2.21 ERA as the top setup man for rookie phenom closer Huston Street.
Moment in the Sun
- Named to the 2005 All-Star team
Transactions
- June 4, 1996: Drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 8th round of the 1996 amateur draft. Player signed June 14, 1996.
- June 12, 2001: Traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Texas Rangers for Doug Mirabelli.
- March 19, 2002: Traded by the Texas Rangers to the Oakland Athletics for Luis Vizcaino.
External Links
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
