Darren Oliver
Encyclopedia
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
.
Oliver was drafted by the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in the 3rd round of the 1988 Major League Baseball Draft, and has had three separate stints with the club.
Early life
Oliver is the son of former infielderInfielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Bob Oliver
Bob Oliver
Robert Lee Oliver is a former first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees...
. Darren played baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
at Rio Linda High School in Rio Linda, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Major league career
Oliver made his major league debut on September 1, 1993, at the age of 22 at Fenway ParkFenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. In 1996, Oliver became a starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for the Rangers and won 14 games. From 1996 to 1998, Oliver pitched for the Rangers and then was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
for whom he pitched until 1999, returning to the Rangers for the next two years.
In 2002, Oliver pitched for the Boston Red Sox as a left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
reliever. In 2003, Oliver won 13 games for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. In 2004, Oliver pitched for the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. After 2004, he became a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
In 2005, the Rockies brought him to their spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camp, but released him. Oliver missed the entire season.
New York Mets (2006)
After the 2005 season, Oliver signed with the New York Mets and made the team as a reliever. Oliver proved to be very useful in the Mets bullpen, going 4–1 with a 3.44 ERA in 45 games and 81 innings. He made a six-inning relief appearance in Game 3 of the 2006 NLCSNational League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
. Despite not giving up a run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, the Mets lost the game and were down 2–1 in the series. He was mentioned as a potential starter for Game 7; the Mets instead tapped Oliver Perez
Oliver Pérez
Óliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
as the starter.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2007–09)
Oliver became a free agent at the end of the 2006 season. He signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, joining Nolan RyanNolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. , nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers....
as the only two players to play for all four original MLB expansion teams (Washington Senators/Texas Rangers, Angels, Mets and Astros). Both Darren and father Bob were also one-time teammates of Ryan: Bob from 1972–74, and Darren in 1993, Ryan's final major league season.
Oliver is the first pitcher ever to pitch in interleague play
Interleague play
Interleague play is the term used to describe regular season Major League Baseball games played between teams in different leagues, introduced in . Before the 1997 season, teams in the American League and National League did not meet during the regular season...
. He was the starting pitcher in the Texas Rangers' 4–3 loss to the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
on June 12, 1997 at The Ballpark in Arlington. As a Cardinal, he was also the starting and winning pitcher in the game where Mark McGwire
Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire , nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St...
hit his record-tying 61st home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on September 7, 1998.
In 2009, Oliver posted a 5–1 record with a 2.71 ERA. Steve Bisheff of the LA Times called Oliver the "Postseason's Hidden Hero," commenting "The most underrated of all the Angels was their most consistent pitcher in the playoffs." He said the Angels should re-sign him for 2010 despite his age at 39, adding "The Angels would be crazy not to re-sign him."
However, the Angels did not offer Oliver salary arbitration and they did not agree on terms for his contract.
Return to Texas (2010–present)
On December 22, 2009, Oliver signed a one-year $3.5 million contract to return to the Texas Rangers, with a vesting option for 2011 based on the number of games pitched. It is his third stint with the Rangers. On September 15, his 2011 option vested.In 2011, he was 5–5 with a 2.29 ERA. He was the 6th-oldest player in the American League.