Font ResizeCHICAGO — There were many unknowns in the A's starting rotation when spring training began, and Justin Duchscherer was front and center among them.
Granted his wish to switch from relieving to starting, Duchscherer set about proving the A's made the right call by putting him in the rotation.
He's done that convincingly through the season's first half, and Duchscherer was rewarded with the second All-Star Game invitation of his career. The right-hander was one of six selections of Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who will skipper the American League team in the July 15 showcase at Yankee Stadium.
"I think he earned it; he had a great first half," A's manager Bob Geren said. "He's a definite All-Star."
Duchscherer had last served as a full-time starter in Triple-A in 2003, the season in which he got his first call-up with the A's. Oakland needed him in the bullpen, where he earned his first All-Star berth in 2005. With the A's in need of rotation help heading into the season, they looked to Duchscherer, who long had lobbied to start. But considering he was coming off hip surgery, it was anyone's guess how the experiment would go.
Duchscherer takes as much satisfaction in proving skeptics wrong as he does getting chosen for the game.
"They said I couldn't get through a lineup two or three times," Duchscherer said. "If you can get people out, you get people out. Greg Maddux doesn't throw 100 (mph) but
There have been several pitchers throughout the years to be named an All-Star as both a starter and reliever, but the natural transition seems to be starters who morph into relievers.
Duchscherer has made the opposite transition. The last pitcher to make the All-Star team as a reliever, then a starter had been Derek Lowe with the Red Sox in 2000 and 2002.
Duchscherer credited several people, including A's catcher Kurt Suzuki, pitching coach Curt Young and bullpen coach Ron Romanick for his success so far.
Duchscherer didn't get in the 2005 All-Star Game. Though he's slated to start next Sunday against the Angels, just two days before the game, he assured he'll be available for an inning.
Short hops
Shortstop Donnie Murphy, who had started the past three games filling in for the injured Bobby Crosby, missed Sunday's game with pain in his throwing elbow. Geren said Murphy felt it while making an errant throw to first Saturday. He missed 28 games earlier this season with an injury to the same elbow, but the severity of his current ailment is unknown. "... Right fielder Ryan Sweeney took the day off to give his sprained left ankle a rest. "... Wes Bankston started all four games of the series and hit .438 (7-for-16). "... Suzuki's single in the ninth Sunday snapped an 0-for-23 streak by A's pinch hitters.
— Joe Stiglich
