Darren Oliver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darren Oliver |
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Oliver with the Texas Rangers
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 6, 1970 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 1, 1993, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 2013, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 118–98 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.51 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,259 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Darren Christopher Oliver was a professional baseball pitcher from the United States. He was born on October 6, 1970. What's cool is that his father, Bob Oliver, also played in the major leagues for nine seasons! This makes Darren a second-generation major league player.
Contents
Early Life and Sports
Darren Oliver grew up in Rio Linda, California. He went to Rio Linda High School. While there, he was a talented athlete. He played both baseball and basketball. His father, Bob Oliver, was a former baseball infielder.
Darren Oliver's Baseball Journey
Starting His Career (1993–2005)
Darren Oliver made his big league debut on September 1, 1993. He was 22 years old and played against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. In 1996, he became a starter for the Texas Rangers. That year, he won 14 games.
Oliver was the first pitcher ever to play in a special kind of game called interleague play. This is when teams from different leagues play each other. He was the starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers on June 12, 1997. They lost 4–3 to the San Francisco Giants. From 1993 to 1998, Oliver pitched for the Rangers.
In 1998, the Rangers traded Oliver to the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for the Cardinals until 1999. Then, he returned to the Rangers for two more years. While with the Cardinals, he was the winning pitcher in a famous game. This was when Mark McGwire hit his 61st home run of the season on September 7, 1998.
In 2002, Oliver played for the Boston Red Sox. He was a left-handed reliever, meaning he came into games after the starting pitcher. In 2003, he won 13 games for the Colorado Rockies. In 2004, he pitched for both the Florida Marlins and the Houston Astros. After the 2004 season, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team. In 2004, Oliver was one of only four African-American starting pitchers in Major League Baseball. He missed the entire 2005 season.
Playing for the New York Mets (2006)
After missing a season, Oliver signed with the New York Mets in 2006. He was a very helpful player in the Mets' bullpen. He had a record of 4 wins and 1 loss, with a 3.44 ERA in 45 games. He pitched 81 innings that year.
He even pitched for six innings in a relief appearance during Game 3 of the 2006 NLCS. Even though he didn't give up any runs, the Mets lost that game.
Time with the Los Angeles Angels (2007–2009)
Oliver became a free agent again after the 2006 season. He then signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This was special because it meant he had played for all four original MLB expansion teams. Only one other player, Nolan Ryan, had done this before him. Both Darren and his father, Bob, were also teammates with Nolan Ryan at different times.
In 2009, Oliver had a great season. He had a record of 5 wins and 1 loss, with a low 2.71 ERA. A sports writer called him the "Postseason's Hidden Hero." The writer said Oliver was the Angels' most consistent pitcher in the playoffs. He even suggested the Angels should sign him again for 2010. However, the Angels did not offer him a new contract.
Back to the Texas Rangers (2010–2011)
On December 22, 2009, Oliver signed a contract to return to the Texas Rangers. This was his third time playing for the team! On April 22, 2010, he made a save for the Rangers. This set a record for the longest time between saves for a single team, at over 15 years. In 2011, Oliver finished with a 5–5 record and a 2.29 ERA. He was one of the oldest players in the American League that year.
Final Seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays (2012–2013)
On December 30, 2011, Oliver signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. In 2012, he had some of the best numbers of his career. He finished with a 3-4 record, a 2.06 ERA, and 52 strikeouts.
There was some talk about him wanting to change his contract or be traded closer to his family. But on January 16, 2013, Oliver announced he would honor his contract and play for the Blue Jays. He was placed on the disabled list for a short time in May 2013 due to a shoulder strain. He returned in June. On June 22, 2013, he was the winning pitcher when the Blue Jays won their 10th game in a row.
Near the end of the 2013 season, Oliver wanted to start the final game. This would have been his first start since 2009. However, the Blue Jays won their previous two games, which affected the playoff race for other teams. So, he didn't get to start. Before his final game, he was honored with a video of his career highlights. He pitched one inning in relief, striking out two batters without letting anyone get on base.
After Playing Baseball
After retiring from playing, Darren Oliver took on a new role. On April 24, 2014, he joined the Texas Rangers' front office. He became a special assistant to the general manager.
Oliver was eligible to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019. However, he did not receive enough votes to be considered for future ballots. In 2024, Oliver served as the pitching coach for the National League team in the All-Star Futures Game.
See also
- List of second-generation Major League Baseball players
