Some baseball players go out on top. Some baseball players stay in the game until they’re in their 40s. Very few do both. Darren Oliver seems poised to, however, as Jon Heyman reports that Oliver is leaning toward retirement. This despite the fact that, just yesterday, the Blue Jays exercised his $3 million option.
He certainly has stuff left in the tank. After seemingly petering out as a starter eight years ago, he came back in 2006 as a lefty relief specialist and has been fantastic in the role for the Mets, Angels, Rangers and Jays. This year he posted a 2.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 52/15 K/BB ratio in 56 and two-thirds innings and he’s had an ERA under 3.00 for five straight years.
As he said a month ago, however, baseball isn’t everything, and at age 42, he’s ready for more time with his family. He’s earned it. A really nice career. A damn fine one, in fact.
