Former left-handed pitcher Darren Oliver spent 21 seasons in the big leagues playing for nine different teams from 1993-2013 (Rangers, Angels, Rockies, Marlins, Mets, Blue Jays, Astros, Red Sox, and Cardinals).
Oliver began his career pitching out of the bullpen in his first three-seasons before becoming a full-time starter, which is a role he says he preferred more given its perks.
Oliver started 218 games from 1996-2004 before switching back to a full-time relief role, where he began to find more success later in his career.
Oliver signed with the Mets prior to the 2006 season and was a solid contributor out of their bullpen throwing 81 innings with a 3.44 ERA and 1.123 WHIP.
“2006 was one of the best teams I’ve ever been on. We had some serious talent between David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Beltran and our pitching. Winning in New York is the best feeling ever because of the energy that the fans bring,” said Oliver.
The Mets captured the National East during this season and were tied for the league lead with 97 regular season wins.
“We should’ve at least gone to the World Series that year. We had the team to get there and we gave it a good run, but you never know what will happen in baseball.”
Despite the Mets losing game three of the NLCS to go down 2 games to 1, Oliver threw a clutch six shutout innings in relief of starter Steve Trachsel. Trachsel gave up five runs in the first inning before being forced out of the game after being struck by a comebacker and the Mets never scored any runs.
“Maybe I should’ve started,” Oliver joked. “After Traschel went down, I had to suck up some innings. I was thankful I didn’t give up any runs because I was going to be out there for a while, regardless of the result.”
There was some debate heading into game seven of this series as to who would receive the starting nod. The Mets instead opted for another Oliver in Oliver Perez, who was involved in one of the best defensive plays in baseball history when Endy Chavez made a remarkable catch at the left field wall to rob Scott Rolen of a home run securing a 1-0 lead.
“When he caught the ball we think there was any way we were going to lose that game,” said Oliver.
Unfortunately, the Mets would give up two-runs in the ninth to lose the series coming up one game short of the NL Pennant.
“We found out who Adam Wainwright was that night. That pitch he threw to freeze Beltran was nasty. The baseball people knew how good it was despite how the fans felt towards Beltran after that strikeout.”
“They don’t give out $100 million contracts to just anyone. He’s a great player and it’s unfortunate what happened to him this year, but I believe the Mets made the right decision in firing him,” said Oliver when referencing Beltran’s resignation with the Mets this off-season before ever managing a game due to his alleged involvement in the Astros cheating scandal.
Oliver spent part of the 2004 season with the Astros and gave his take on his former team and their sign stealing scandal.
“I get people being mad. I would 100% be upset if I was on the other end. You can’t take the rings away, but it’s going to be a while until this blows over. It affected a lot of careers.”
“I think other teams were probably doing some similar stuff. Maybe not to this extent but I can promise you it won’t happen again after this.”
“I don’t think Rob Manfred wanted to deal with this and whatever he does people are going to upset. I’m not really sure how you could even handle this because the damage was already done.”
“I don’t know how you could punish and suspend guys if you don’t have all the facts. Not sure how you could single guys out without suspending the whole team.”
Oliver pitched into his early 40’s to which the lefty credits his sleeping arrangement as a major factor that helped him do so.
“I bought a firm tempur-pedic mattress to sleep on. If you sleep good at night and wake up the next day feeling refreshed, you can bounce back easier.”
“For me, it’s the better you sleep the better you’ll perform. It’s the little things,” said Oliver, who set career lows in ERA from 2008-2012 in his late 30’s/early 40’s.
Even more impressively, Oliver did not make less than 45 regular season appearances in the last eight seasons of his career.
“I pitched almost every postseason game for the Angels during my time there,” said Oliver who was on the Angels from 2007-2009.
The LA Times called Oliver the “hidden hero,” out of the Angels bullpen in the 2009 postseason. However, the Angels did not re-sign him, and he went back to their AL West division rival Texas Rangers for his third stint.
Oliver followed up an impressive Angels stint by setting a career high 2.48 ERA and 2.64 FIP in 2010 with the Rangers en route to a World Series appearance, which saw his team fall short to the San Francisco Giants 4-1.
In 2011, the Rangers would again come up short again losing back-to-back World Series, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals. This was a series Oliver believes they should have won as the Rangers were one-out away from clinching the championship when Nelson Cruz couldn’t catch a David Freese fly ball to right in game six. The rest is history as the Cardinals wound up winning that night, as well as game 7 to capture the title.
Oliver would pitch his final two seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays before retiring at the end of the 2013 season. He finished up a solid 21-year-career with a 22.1 bWAR, 4.51 ERA, and 118-98 record.
The left-handed pitcher owes part of his success to his father, Bob Oliver, who played 11 seasons in the majors.
“One of the biggest things he taught me was to not get too high or low. It’s a mental grind, especially in baseball when you are playing every day.”
Oliver is the first pitcher to every throw an interleague pitch in baseball history. Both he and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan are the only two pitchers to pitch for all four original expansion teams in the Mets, Rangers, Astros, and Angels.
Following his retirement, Oliver has served as a special assistant to the general manager in the Texas Rangers organization.
