Baseball: A's Duchscherer hoping back, hip pain gone

PHOENIX - Justin Duchscherer threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session the day before pitchers and catchers were officially set to report and said he felt better than he had in years. Then the pain came again.

He hasn't been able to throw since.

Duchscherer sought immediate medical attention once he began feeling the pain in his lower back and hip.

"I have been through this so many times I don't panic anymore," Duchscherer said Wednesday. "I just go talk to the trainers and doctors and get their opinion."

This time it led to a medical procedure Tuesday to relieve discomfort in his lower back.

"I needed quite a bit of sedation," Duchscherer said. "They couldn't get me under enough Monday, that's why I had to wait until yesterday. They gave me some and it didn't work, so they gave me more and then I woke up and we were done."

He said he still couldn't feel too much of anything Wednesday and would rest the reminder of the day, then come back ready to do whatever he can to get himself back on schedule.

"When Justin feels ready to go back out on the mound, we'll get him out there," A's manager Bob Geren said. "As of today he's only one or two days behind because he had been throwing."

Duchscherer has had trouble with his hip for several years and has spent time on the disabled list in each of the past four seasons.

Duchscherer's rehab from 2008 elbow surgery was cut short last year after he was diagnosed with clinical depression. He has a 2.82 ERA in 214 career appearances with Oakland.

"It's day-to-day. I'll wait to see how it feels" he said. "I feel great right now. I'm just tired and I feel a little bit groggy. Tomorrow I will come in, get a little treatment. I'll start slow and go from there. I'm not going to push myself. I have six weeks to get ready."

In other developments, left-hander Lenny DiNardo reported that his strained left Achilles' heel was 50 percent and he'll be back on the field in a day or two.

Outfielder Rajai Davis and right-hander Henry Rodriguez reported to camp Wednesday. Official reporting day for position players is Thursday but all but a handful of the 62 expected players are in camp.