I arrived Early Thurs morning in Phoenix. The night before I arrived, I emailed Lowell Cohn from the Sf Chronicle. I had heard that Justin was going to throw 50 pitches in a minor league game. I had no idea where to watch this game. Lowell was gracious enough to tell me where and offerred me advice on where to see players and catch the ST experience.

I drove my rent a car to Papgo park baseball compex. It was one well manicured field after another. I drove a windy road to a parking lot that looked busiest and got out. This is the place where the minor league game that Oakland's All Star would be pitching in today. As I walked down a wide sidewalk to a main baseball field a baseball player wearing an Oakland A's warm up walked next to me. It was Justin Duchscherer! Lowell was right, the players are right there with the fans walking around. My first 5 minutes of spring training and I feel like a little kid!

Justin warmed up in the bullpen and I stood about 30 feet away. " I feel good" he said to a man wearing khaki shorts and a golf shirt. The game quickly began and Duchscherer stated wariming up from the mound. A group of minor leaguers that were not participating in the game took their seats in the metal stands behind home plate. No announcer. Just the sound of the minor league umpire yelling play balland gusts of wind blowing.

Justin looked comfortable warming up,and I took out my notbook. I was eager to report on this page that I read daily getting ready for my trip to Phoenix. I took the best notes possible...little did I know I wouldnt take many on JD's outing.

The wind gusted and blew dust from the infield into the outfield. A man wearing a USMC Veteran hat looked to me and said "anything in the air will go a long way" Duchscherer fell behind his first hitter 3-1 and on the 3-1 pitch the batter hit a comeback to Justin he fielded cleanly and threw to first to catch the speedy minor league lead off htter. The second hitter he threw three straight breaking balls that missed, 3-0 the hitter fouled off a few ptches and a 3-2 breaking ball missed for ball four. The 3rd hitter JD threw a tough pitch to hit that broke the bat of the hitter. but the ball drpped into center for a seeing eye single putting runners at first and second. I am not a professional, but to me thats when  Duchscherer looked physically uncomfortbale. After a foul ball hitter #4 smacked a HR to the deepest part of Papago park (over 425) for a 3run homer. Hitter #5 he fell behind but later brought the count full 3-2 when the hitter stroked a opposite field single to left. Duchscherer walked off the mound and gave the "Im finished" signal with his hand. he grabbed his warm up and shoes and walked from the dugout to the locker room. a couple trainers followed many feet behind him. For about 5 seconds I thought of follwoing him to get that autogaph my son wanted back home.Not good timing.He looked bothered. I later read he is the most frustrated he has ever been since starting to play baseball. He is a gamer and this injury stuff has to kill him not being able to help the team. We got some bats in the off season, he was probably first in line to be excited ( after so many 2-1 or 1-0 games he pitched in ).  

When I got home I quickly looked for news about  Duchscherer on line. It wasnt until late that I read that he would most likely start the season on the DL .It was really bad.

Tonite I head to Phoenix to watch the A's first ever game with the entire infiled together!..and Cahill who is now thrust into an important roll as a starter now that Justin is down .What will happen next, I still have faith. and I will report about my Fri night experience down here tonite or tommrw. Chavez on D, Caberera, Ellis and Giambi vs Padres ..

Doug

my first post on AN