Darren Oliver assists Rangers at winter camp
By Matt Fisher
The Texas Rangers are adding to their impressive list of recently retired Major League players that are coming in to help their young players.
The 43-year-old left hander Darren Oliver has appeared in Arlington to help with the team, according to Anthony Andro of Fox Sports Southwest. (@aandro). Even with an offer from the Toronto Blue Jays to keep playing on the table, Oliver, a Texas resident, opted to retire and spend more time with his family.
Darren Oliver has three separate stints with Texas over his long 20-year career. He also pitched with St. Louis, Boston, Colorado, the Florida Marlins, Houston, the New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, and finally the Toronto Blue Jays, but his career started in 1993 with the Rangers as a starter. In ten years with the Rangers over those three different eras, he compiled a 60-54 record with a 4.94 ERA in 955.1 IP.
Oliver has pitched in every role imaginable over his career, from a starter to a long reliever and specialist, and even has seven career saves. On April 23rd, 2011, Darren Oliver became the oldest Texas Ranger to record a save at 40-years 199-days old. Less than 24 hours later, teammate Arthur Rhodes took that title over, closing the next days game at 41-years and 182-days old.
Oliver is the latest in a line of former players to join the team as helpers, along with Hall-Of-Fame Inductee Greg Maddux (brother of pitching coach Mike Maddux and officially ‘Special Assistant to the General Manager’), Ivan ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez, and Bengie Molina, their first base coach.