Yesterday Matthew made reference to Justin Duchscherer’s struggle with clinical depression. ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick goes deep on it in this feature story:
Even as Duchscherer’s baseball career blossomed, his personal life began to unravel. He separated from his wife, Michele, in April 2007, and their four-year marriage officially ended in late 2008. The ordeal dredged up unresolved issues from Duchscherer’s parents’ divorce when he was 10, and led to feelings of guilt and shame.
The strain of a ballplayer’s life didn’t help. Since he’s on the road eight months a year and Evan lives in New Jersey with his mother, Duchscherer sees his son sporadically. During the 2008 season, he was able to channel his anguish over his failed marriage into his pitching, but he didn’t have that luxury this year. When the A’s broke camp in April, Duchscherer stayed behind in Arizona to focus on his rehab. The more time he spent alone, the more he missed Evan and dwelled on his shortcomings as a husband and a father.
