In tonight’s game against the Seattle Mariners, Oakland A’s, Justin Duchscherer is set to be the starting pitcher on the mound. This will be his very first true season and majors appearance since August of 2008. Since then, he has fought off an elbow injury as well as depression.

Overcoming depression is a big issue and coming back from that part in your life is significant. Duchscherer is trying to not make a big deal out of it, though. He is also not worrying about tonight’s game, being his first physical appearance on the mound in 19 months; however, he knows that adding pressure to himself doesn’t help anything and he is trying to avoid that at all costs.

About eight months ago, Duschscherer was set to return to the mound after recovering from his elbow injury when the depression struck him and basically paralyzed him. He was one appearance from making it to the Majors. He was standing in the Phoenix airport and instead of boarding the flight to Sacramento because he was too shaken up to do so, he phoned a psychologist for assistance.

A public affirmation was released not long after stating that he was suffering from clinical depression. Since then, he has had the medical attention he deserved and needed and is now ready to make his appearance back within the baseball industry.

About a year ago, Duchscherer was suffering from elbow problems that first started near the end of 2008 and caused a recovery delay during 2009 spring training. He had to have surgery at this time and instead of heading with the rest of his team to start the season, he stayed for rehabilitation for his elbow. This is when the depression truly starting setting in. He had too much time on his hands to think about everything that was going on in his life, outside of baseball. He started thinking about his divorce, his son, issues that had been buried up inside him since he was a young boy. When August came around and he was about to board that flight to Sacramento, it had just simply become too much for him to handle on his own.

He is now ready to come back to baseball and starting pitching. Duchscherer is doing significantly better now and he’ll be the starting pitcher in tonight’s game. Noteworthy highlight in his career and his life.

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